A dramatic incident unfolded at a fair in Uttar Pradesh, India, when a Ferris wheel overloaded with passengers collapsed, trapping numerous individuals beneath the debris.
The catastrophic event left at least 30 people injured, with 10 suffering critical injuries, as the towering ride slowly tilted and eventually crashed during the Wednesday gathering.
Footage captured by bystanders and circulated online reveals the moment the ride’s support structures failed, causing the 60-foot wheel to plunge to the ground amidst a crowd of horrified spectators.
Subsequent videos depict rescuers feverishly working to free victims, including many women and children, from the tangled wreckage.
Reports indicate that as many as 80 people were aboard the Ferris wheel, significantly exceeding its intended capacity, according to NeedToKnow.
Witnesses reported that the ride began emitting unsettling creaking sounds after just two rotations, yet the operator continued its operation, ignoring warnings from those nearby, as per local media accounts.
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.
