Horrifying moment monster truck runs over a worker during an Ohio show as crews rush to free victim from under giant wheel

A 56-year-old man was airlifted to the hospital after a monster truck accidentally backed over him during an exhibition at an Ohio fairground.

Video showed the Monster Truck Wars member of safety staff beneath a tire at the Marion County Fairgrounds Coliseum on Saturday night. 

Startled onlookers fled the arena as emergency crews rushed to free the victim just after 8pm.  

According to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, the unidentified man was taken to Marion General Hospital before being flown to Grant Medical Center in Columbus.

He is said to be in a stable condition.

A 56-year-old safety staff worker for Monster Truck Wars was taken to the hospital after a truck rolled him over during a show in Marion, Ohio Saturday night

Dramatic video showed the worker falling beneath a tire at the Marion County Fairgrounds Coliseum as the audience exclaimed

Monster Truck Wars is a live event that tours across the country, staging conventions in different states

'It was horrible, it was horrific,' Jessica Hemminger told WSYX. 'And I will never forget it.'

The Marion woman said she brought her two sons to the event. 'My first instinct was to cover my kids' eyes and get them out of there as fast as I could, because I didn’t want them to see it.'

She added: 'It’s still replaying in my head. I don’t think it will ever get out of my head.'

Footage shows the truck reversing quickly towards the man and knocking him to the ground before he vanishes under one back tire, drawing horrified gasps from the crowd.

'I could tell he was hit and I was in shock,' another attendee, Dave Johnson, told WBNS.

'Everyone that was on the floor was rushing to the guy's aide. Immediately calling for medics and emergency personnel.'

He said first responders rushed from the stands to help the man before everyone else was asked to leave.

'I sat there and said a prayer, you know,' Johnson said. 'It’s almost like when you watch stuff you think this guy will get up and wave his hand like "I’m okay" and that didn’t happen.'

An attendee said first responders rushed from the stands as the rest of the arena was evacuated, causing chaos

The truck, which was seen crushing cars moments earlier, reversed towards the man, knocking him to the ground and pinning him beneath one of its rear tires

An advert for the event, which is billed as 'America's wildest monster truck show' 

The extent of the man's injuries is unknown.

On Facebook, locals voiced their concern about the size of the arena, saying it was not large enough to accommodate such an event.

'That's an extremely small venue for monster trucks,' one woman, Melissa Bowers, remarked. 'The fumes alone would be bad, but the limited space was an accident waiting to happen.'

'It’s such a small arena,' commented James Anderson, a Marion resident. 'I don’t know how they have a monster truck event in there.'

Billed as 'America's wildest monster truck show,' Monster Truck Wars tours across the country, staging conventions in different states.

The entertainment company behind the spectacle goes by the same name and specializes in 'monster trucks, truck and tractor pulling, and mud racing,' according to their website.

Authorities say the incident is currently under investigation. The 56-year-old employee has not been named.