A fire broke out on Saturday night in two cabins of a Ferris wheel at the Highfield Festival near Leipzig, resulting in at least 30 people being injured.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. According to local media, four people suffered severe burns, several were injured after jumping from a great height in an attempt to escape the burning Ferris wheel, and many others experienced respiratory issues.
Following a fire at the Ferris wheel at the Highfield festival at the Stormthaler See lake in Leipzig, Germany, several people were injured pic.twitter.com/xD4M6hmodf
— Adam Kruś (@adam_krus) August 17, 2024
“The injured are receiving treatment and are doing well considering the circumstances,” stated the organizers of the Highfield Festival in a statement.
“We are in close coordination with the fire department, police, and rescue and medical services.”
Approximately 30 people were injured, according to the Associated Press.
UPDATE: The fire is still burning on a ferris wheel at the Highfield Festival in Leipzig, Germany – which attracts 30,000 people every year. There were still passengers onboard the ferris wheel as it went up in flames.#BREAKING #Germany pic.twitter.com/gRmw2AzWEt
— Target Reporter (@Target_Reporter) August 17, 2024
The two cabins that caught fire were completely destroyed, and a fire department spokesperson said that the situation is now under control.
According to media reports, among the injured were also four police officers.
German rapper Ski Aggu, who was performing when the fire broke out, posted on Instagram that he was “disappointed and shocked” by what happened.
About an hour after the fire broke out and was extinguished by the fire department, the festival organizers announced that the Ferris wheel would remain closed, and performances on the stage resumed.
