Woman Killed After Getting Trapped Under St. Patrick’s Day Parade Float (Video)

What was supposed to be a day of celebration turned into heartbreak in Kentucky after a woman taking part in a St. Patrick’s Day parade was killed in a shocking accident involving a parade float.

The tragedy happened Saturday afternoon in Louisville while the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade was underway. Authorities say the woman, who was participating in the parade, became trapped beneath a moving float.

According to Louisville Metro Police, the woman’s foot reportedly became caught under the float before she fell and was struck by the vehicle.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene around 4 p.m. in the city’s Highlands neighborhood, a lively area known for its popular bars and restaurants. The woman was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The accident brought the festive parade to an abrupt stop.

Video footage captured by local media showed stunned onlookers gathering around a float decorated with balloons and bales of hay as emergency responders worked at the scene.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:

David Gnamba, who was working at his family’s food truck nearby, said he saw first responders carrying someone away on a stretcher.

“It does break my heart because that’s a person that lost their life,” he told local reporters. “This is not news that we want to hear — as human beings, as vendors, as people, as partygoers.”

Others taking part in the parade said they initially didn’t realize what had happened until the floats behind them suddenly stopped moving.

Stephanie Youstra, who has marched in the parade for about a decade as a mascot, said she later learned about the accident from other participants.

“My heart goes out to anyone who was in that float and the family,” she said. “I just can’t imagine what they’re feeling.”

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also expressed his condolences following the tragedy.

“I am so sorry to hear about the tragic accident that took a woman’s life at today’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade,” the mayor wrote on social media. “Please join Rachel and me in keeping her family and friends in your prayers. May her memory be a blessing.”

The Hibernian Cultural and Charitable Association, the group that organizes the parade, also released a statement thanking attendees while asking the public to respect the privacy of the woman’s family during this difficult time.

Authorities have not yet released the victim’s identity as the investigation continues.