Two men have been arrested after a fairground ride ‘crashed to the ground’ at Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market.
The suspects, a 21-year-old and a 55-year-old, were apprehended last night at the funfair located in Centenary Square in Birmingham. They were taken into custody on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and obstructing law enforcement officers.
They remain in custody today, West Midlands Police said.
Two women were rushed to hospital after the 180ft City Star Flyer ride ‘failed and crashed’ in front of horrified revellers enjoying a festive day out.
A further 11 people required medical attention after the ride lurched backwards before dropping.
The Christmas fairground has been sealed off after a ride collapsed in Birmingham on Thursday night (pictured is part of the damaged ride)
Some 13 people were injured during the accident (pictured is the aftermath of the incident)
Police and emergency services rushed to the scene and sealed off an area around attraction in Centenary Square following the incident on Thursday evening.
Video footage shared on social media shows chaotic scenes as rescue teams sealed off the area around the popular ride. Pictures also appear to show several gondolas on the ride tangled up in the wires.
Shocked witnesses describe hearing people ‘screaming in terror’ as the ride slammed to the ground.
John Spence, 45, from Warwick, was at the fairground with his wife Julie, 42, and their ten-year-old son Harris.
He said: ‘We were near the ride when we heard screaming. It wasn’t your normal excited screams, this was screams of terror.
‘There was a loud whoosh and bang and then pandemonium. There were lots of people in hi-vis jackets running over to help people get off the ride.
‘Within a few minutes you could hear sirens. The emergency services were incredible and all so calm.
‘We stayed out the way because we didn’t want to make the situation worse but crowding around.’
Foil blankets and the remains of efforts of paramedics could be seen at the ride this morning
The market was deserted today after the incident, which injured 13 people
Paramedics treated patients at the scene and took two women to hospital
An ambulance and fire engine are seen parked up next to the Skyflyer ride as they treated casualties
Ambulances rushed to the scene after the incident as staff at the fairground cleared the area
The ride, which rotates people in a circle while rising up and down a column, reportedly got too low before crashing to the ground
A police cordon remains in place this morning after last night’s ride malfunction
Another witness said: ‘We saw some of the people getting helped off the ride and several had bloody faces and were crying.
‘It was really shocking.’
Clips of the terrifying aftermath saw eyewitnesses describing how the ride suddenly collapsed – saying in disbelief ‘it was all the way up there and it fell, the thing fell.’
Louise Brown was on the City Starflyer swing chair ride in Birmingham city centre when it crashed.
Ms Brown, a mother who works at the BBC in the city, said: ‘This can never happen again – we are in shock and all I can think of is what if my kids were on the ride.’
She suffered injuries to her face, legs and arms, adding that her colleague was also hurt. Pictures show her with cuts and bruises on her face.
‘We were on it having fun and then it just crashed to the ground,’ she said.
‘It felt like we were descending, not at the highest point but still quite high. We just dropped.
‘It went backwards first though, which I’ve never seen it do before.’
Louise Brown (pictured) was on the City Starflyer swing chair ride in Birmingham city centre when it crashed
The ride remained at ground level on Friday as investigations got underway by police
The Starflyer ride pictured on Friday – it is 180ft tall, making it one of the tallest at the market
West Midlands Fire Service confirmed it had ‘dropped to the ground’ while it was in operation.
One witness told the BBC he saw ‘girls who appeared to be injured’ walking away from the area, with ‘one girl who seemed to have her face cut’.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: ‘On arrival, crews found 13 patients.
‘Two women, were treated by ambulance staff for injuries not believed to be serious and conveyed to Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
‘Nine women and three men were assessed by medics before being given self-care advice and discharged at the scene.’
The City Starflyer ride is provided by funfair suppliers Danter Attractions and is described as ‘one of the tallest rides around’.
A spokesperson for Danter Attractions said: ‘Our thoughts are with the individuals and families affected. There is an ongoing investigation and we are fully co-operating with the authorities. At this time we are unable to provide any additional comment.’
