In a scary scene, a Ferris wheel went up in smoke during a music festival in Germany. The carnival ride caught fire with people on it. The incident happened during the Highfield Festival near the city of Leipzig.
Officials say that they're not quite sure what caused the Ferris wheel to catch fire. Authorities are investigating the incident. You can see the inferno below.
???#Breaking 30 Injured some serious win a Ferris wheel at a music festival in Germany catches fire.
It started when a popular German rapper was performing.They told him to keep performing They didn?t want mass panic.#Ferriswhelefire #GermanyFerrisWhelefire pic.twitter.com/2BDoY7It63
— Todd Paron?????? (@tparon) August 18, 2024
In total at least four people suffered burn injuries due to the fire. Meanwhile, another chose to jump or fall from the Ferris wheel. They experienced some injuries as a result. Likewise, medical staff treated at least 18 people for smoke inhalation. This included ride-goers as well as first responders.
Ferris Wheel Catches Fire
After the inferno, authorities cordoned off the Ferris wheel and that section of the festival. Meanwhile, German rapper Ski Aggu was performing on stage when the fire happened. Following the show, he took to social media to express that he was "dismayed and shocked" by what happened.
He also said that organizers communicated with him via an ear piece. They told him not to cancel his performance and to remain calm on stage. The singer said they used him to avoid a mass panic with the crowd. He's thankful that it ultimately worked in their favor.
"I'm absolutely shocked and upset about the Ferris wheel fire during my show at Highfield," Aggu posted on Instagram afterward. "I was only told through my earpiece that I should not stop the show under any circumstances, but should initially continue to talk with you so avoid mass panic. The priority was to prevent the situation from escalating any further. Fortunately, that worked."
Meanwhile, organizers have opened up about the Ferris wheel fire. They said they're working with authorities about the incident. For now, they'll be continuing as plan despite the tragedy.
"Those affected are receiving treatment and are doing well considering the circumstances," Highfield Festival organizers said in a statement. "We are in close coordination with the fire brigade, the police, and the rescue and medical services. We will cordon off the ferris wheel accordingly and then continue operations as planned."
