It was a scary move.
Scores of people were injured after a carnival ride fell 50 meters in a terrifying accident in India, as seen in this harrowing video showing the near-death plunge.
The fiasco reportedly happened on Sunday night at the Phase 8 amusement park in Punjab’s Mohali district while 50 riders were on a “drop tower,” a carousel-like contraption that sends passengers tumbling down a vertical structure, The Hindustan reported Times. Things literally went south, however, after an unknown malfunction caused the attraction to plunge 50 meters above the base like a broken elevator, injuring 16 people.
In the accompanying footage, a glowing circular cart can be seen toppling over and crashing into the platform with terrifying force, sending several riders flying from their seats – despite them being strapped in. The video ends with the Samaritans helping to load several injured riders into a police van as there were reportedly no ambulances at the fairgrounds, according to Jam Press.
“We took the injured and rushed to the hospital,” an eyewitness named Jaspreet Kaur described to Hindustan Times. He added that fair goers tried to “threaten” them for interfering and that “the organizers also left the venue”.
The victims, some of whom were as young as ten years old, are said to be receiving treatment at several hospitals in the area. However, the extent of their injuries is still unclear.
The cause of the freefall is also unknown, although carnival organizers blamed it on a “technical issue”.
Mohali police have called the organizers “reckless” and vowed to launch an investigation into the incident. “We will conduct an investigation and strict action will be taken against the culprits,” said Mohali Deputy Commissioner Amit Talwar.
Despite their pledge, the fair is said to be extended until September 11 after originally being scheduled to end that Sunday.
