Dozens injured after ferris wheel catches fire at festival in Germany
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At least 30 people have been injured at a music festival near Leipzig, Germany after a ferris wheel suddenly caught fire.
Two of the 30 injured people are in a serious condition, according to Germany’s Red Cross.
Four people suffered burns and one was injured in a fall while smoke inhalation affected 18 people, AFP reported citing police sources.
Videos and pictures shared on social media show parts of the ride in flames as the burning wheel continued to spin with smoke rising into the air at the Highfield Festival in Stormthaler Lake.
“Those affected are receiving treatment and are doing well considering the circumstances,” the festival organisers said in a statement.
“We are in close coordination with the fire brigade, the police and the rescue and medical services,” they said.
At the height of celebrations, at around 9pm local time, one seating compartment on the ferris wheel caught fire with passengers still on board.
The fire then quickly spread to the neighbouring cabin.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Videos show onlookers screaming as operators spun the wheel in reverse to station the blazing cabins near the top of the ride.
“We will cordon off the ferris wheel accordingly and then continue operations as planned,” the Highfield Festival said.
The festival is one of the largest independent rock festivals in Germany with thousands of visitors attending it every summer.
This year’s lineup included Macklemore, Rise Against, Flogging Molly, and The Kooks.
German musician Ski Aggu, who was performing when the fire broke out, took to Instagram to say he was “dismayed and shocked” by the incident.
“I am absolutely dismayed and shocked by the ferris wheel fire during my show on the Highfield…I was only told in my ear that I should not cancel the show under any circumstances but should first remain in dialogue with you so that there is no mass panic,” Mr Aggu said.
“For me, the priority was that the situation did not escalate further, which fortunately also worked,” he wrote on Instagram.
