- Over twenty individuals sustained injuries in a bicycle-related blaze at the Highfield Festival.
Following a blaze on a Ferris wheel at the Highfield Festival nearby Leipzig, a fire investigator arrived at the site. "The investigator has been on the festival grounds since the early hours and has started his probe," stated a police spokesperson. The primary concern at present is figuring out how the incident, involving at least 23 harmed individuals, transpired. The fire zone was secured off, and forensic police initiated investigations.
At roughly 9:00 PM on Saturday night, one of the 24 gondolas on the Ferris wheel burst into flames, which subsequently spread to another gondola. The sequence of events during those minutes is still under investigation by the authorities. According to police reports, around 25 individuals were hurt - four of whom suffered burn wounds, while one sustained injuries due to a fall. The remaining casualties, including emergency responders and at least 4 police officers, were taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation examination.
The police could not offer information regarding the age and gender of the injured. The precise number of injured is still being clarified, mentioned the spokesperson. The two gondolas that caught fire were completely damaged. It remains uncertain how many individuals were on the Ferris wheel during the time of the fire. Normally, a maximum of four people occupy each gondola.
Highfield Festival halted for two hours
"I am utterly shocked by the Ferris wheel fire during my performance at the Highfield," rapper Ski Aggu posted on Instagram. He was informed via earpiece to continue his act to prevent a panic. "Thank you for remaining calm and potentially averting a worse situation," he wrote to his followers. He wished a speedy recovery to all those affected.
The rock and pop festival, attended by about 30,000 visitors at Störmthaler See, was temporarily suspended for approximately two hours. Afterwards, the show resumed with a performance by rapper Cro.
The Highfield Festival resumed after a temporary halt due to the Ferris wheel incident. However, the Ferris wheel remains closed indefinitely as an investigation into the fire continues at Highfield Festival.
