More than 20 people were injured Saturday night when a pickup truck plowed into a parade crowd in New Orleans, the largest city in the U.S. state of Louisiana.

The truck slammed into a crowd and other vehicles at the Krewe of Endymion parade in the Mid-City section of New Orleans.

It came to a stop against a dump truck, causing more than 20 injuries, five of them in critical condition, said the police.

Dozens of ambulances rushed to the scene and the injured have been sent to nearby hospitals.

A male witness said that he heard screaming when the truck was steered into the crowd.

Its driver had intended to push another vehicle out of his way. He turned the truck into the crowd after failing to do so. A female witness said that the driver seemed unaware of what he had done.

The police had ruled out terrorism.

source: Xinhua