- In this video, a “drop tower” malfunctions and sends its riders hurtling into free fall.
- According to local media, about 50 people were on the ride when it broke down on Sunday in Punjab state in India.
- The accident resulted in the hospitalization of 16 women and children.
According to local network NDTV, the ride was at a fair in Mohali, a district of Punjab state. Sunday around 9:15 pm, it malfunctioned, said the broadcaster.
During the attraction, passengers ascended a tower on a platform that spun as they climbed. After reaching the top, the ride’s bottom was smashed by its sudden fall. Journalist Nikhil Choudhary filmed a video of the incident and tweeted it.
Live Visual of swing breaking in #Mohali phase 8, Many people got injured. Around 16 women & kids were hospitalised after the incident. pic.twitter.com/bay5IfzHLB
â Nikhil Choudhary (@NikhilCh_) September 4, 2022
A 50-foot tall attraction was carrying around 50 people, half of whom were injured, Choudhary told Insider. There were 16 women and children hospitalized, he estimated. Messages from the journalist describe a smooth ride prior to the crash.
As of Sunday evening, no fatalities have been reported. Fortis Hospital, a medical facility near the fair, treated children as young as 10 years old, according to the Hindustan Times.
At the fair, ambulances were not on standby, according to NDTV and the Hindustan Times. At the time of the accident, Choudhary did not see any emergency vehicles. However, ambulances arrived shortly afterward.
The Hindustan Times said fair organizers would cooperate with police after the accident was blamed on a “technical issue.”
An investigation would be launched and “strict action” would be taken, said Mohali Police Deputy Commissioner Amit Talwar. A police spokesperson told multiple outlets that the fair had been extended until September 11 from the original end date of Sunday.
Insider contacted the Mohali police deputy commissioner’s office for comment, but he did not respond immediately.
