Terrifying video shows packed Ferris wheel collapsing, wounding dozens of riders
Terrifying video shows packed Ferris wheel collapsing, wounding dozens of riders
Shocking video shows an overloaded Ferris wheel suddenly collapsing at a fair in India, leaving dozens trapped underneath the wreckage.
At least 30 people were injured, 10 of them critically, when the giant ride slowly tipped sideways before giving way during Wednesday’s fair in Uttar Pradesh.
Cell phone footage shared online shows the support posts giving way as the 60-foot ride topples over with a sickening crash in front of terrified onlookers.
A later clip shows rescuers clambering over the wreckage to rescue the victims, including many women and children.
Up to 80 people were on board the Ferris wheel at the time, far more than the ride was built to handle, NeedToKnow reported.
The ride had begun making loud creaking noises after just two rotations, but the operator kept it running despite warnings from onlookers, according to local media reports.
It took rescuers and emergency crews almost an hour to free the victims from the ride, with at least two children among the critically injured, according to the reports.
The base of the ride appeared weak, poorly anchored and unable to withstand the excess passengers, according to preliminary findings.
Authorities are probing possible negligence and safety lapses by operators of the Bhainsaha Mela fair in Khadda, Kushingar district, the reports said.
It comes just weeks after at least 14 children were injured when a fairground ride collapsed in Madhya Pradesh, India, with authorities also looking into possible overcrowding and poor safety standards.
