At Least 30 People Injured After Ferris Wheel Catches Fire at German Music Festival

A ferris wheel caught on fire at Leipzig, Germany’s Highfield music festival Saturday, injuring at least 30 people.

The incident occurred at roughly 9 p.m. local time while German rapper Ski Aggu was onstage; the rapper later said on social media that he was told to continue his performance despite the blaze in the visible distance.

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“I’m absolutely shocked and upset about the Ferris wheel fire during my show at Highfield,” Aggu wrote. “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.”

An initial investigation found that the fire started in one empty gondola and then spread to a neighboring gondola. The cause of the fire was undetermined as of Sunday.

Two of the 30 injured people suffered unspecified serious injuries, while four more suffered burns in the incident. One person also sustained injuries from a fall, the German Red Cross said, while the majority of the remaining injuries were smoke inhalation-related.

“Those affected are receiving treatment and are doing well considering the circumstances. We are in close coordination with the fire brigade, the police and the rescue and medical services,” Highfield Festival organizers said in a statement (via the Independent). “We will cordon off the ferris wheel accordingly and then continue operations as planned.”

This year’s Highfield Festival, one of Germany’s biggest music festivals, features headliners Rise Against — whose Saturday set was delayed due to the ferris wheel fire — and Macklemore, as well as Mando Daio, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, the Kooks and more.

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