A 10-year-old girl has died after a carriage flew off a Ferris wheel and crashed to the ground at a fair in India.
A fair in India turned deadly after a loose bolt on a Ferris wheel fell out and sent a carriage flying to the ground, according to the Daily Mail. The incident, which occurred in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, India, on Sunday night on the grounds of a local college, resulted in the death of a 10-year-old girl. Six other people, including three children, were seriously injured in the incident.
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Witnesses of the tragic accident claim that they had noticed the bolt coming loose before the carriage fell to the ground and had reported it to the ride operator, who had allegedly ignored the reports. It is believed that the operator, who has not been named, was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
Following the incident, the ride operator was reportedly beaten by locals, though he was later rescued and handed over to police.
The district administration has reportedly ordered an investigation into the accident.
This is not the first time that a ride at a fair has turned deadly.
On July 26, 2017, 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell had been riding a ride called the Fire Ball, which spun riders about 40 feet above the ground and moved like a pendulum, at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus when the attraction malfunctioned, breaking apart mid-ride. Video showed the front row of seats breaking off the ride, sending several passengers flying into the air before landing on the ground.
Jarrell, who had just enlisted in the Marines, suffered fatal injuries. Six other individuals were also injured, their ages ranging from 14 to 42.
“They knew they were hitting the ground,” said witness Julian Bellinger, who had been waiting in line for the Fire Ball. “They knew they were going to die. Every time I close my eyes I can see the image.”
Following the accident, Ohio Governor John Kasich ordered an investigation Ohio Governor John Kasich and closed all rides until they could be re-inspected.
An official investigation into the accident revealed that “excessive corrosion on the interior of the gondola support beam dangerously reduced the beam’s wall thickness over the years,” resulting in the ride falling apart.
The ride had passed several inspections in the days leading up to the deadly accident.
