Final Destination horror as packed ferris wheel catches fire sending terrified families screaming
First responders rescued 54 people after they were stuck on a burning 29-foot tall Ferris wheel in Brazil on Wednesday.
Footage taken by a visitor at an agricultural fair in the central-west city of Cuiabá showed the moment the base of the ride caught fire.
Workers were seen rushing to the Ferris wheel’s ramp, where they began to extinguish the flames before firefighters arrived.
Each person was removed from the 14 cabins by the Mato Grosso Fire Department and Military Police. No injuries were reported.
The fire department said the fire was caused by overheating in the LED lamps that cover the fabric on the ride’s wiring fabric.
Witnesses reported a strong burning odor moments before the base burst in flames.
The Cuiabá Rural Union, which organized the fair, said in a statement that ride was shut down.
It also said the amusement park company has been working on repairing the Ferris wheel.
The ride will have to undergo an inspection by the Mato Grosso Fire Department before it can be allowed to operate again.
Authorities rescue 54 people from a Ferris wheel in Brazil on Wednesday night after the base of the right caught fire. No injuries were reported
A staffer at an agricultural fair in the central-western Brazilian city of Cuiabá extinguishes the fire on the base of a Ferris Wheel
‘The necessary measures to prevent and correct any possibility of events outside of normal use were taken and proved efficient in ensuring the well-being of users and visitors of the Exhibition Park,’ the Cuiba Rural Union said.
‘Following the incident, the amusement park company contacted its technical team to repair and reinforce the structure.’
The incident comes less than a month after a five-year-old girl tumbled from a Ferris Wheel cabin and fell to the ground at a fair in the northeaster Brazilian city of Ipirá.
Frightening video footage showed Heloísa Fernandes falling from her cabin before her distraught mother ran to her side.
The Mato Grosso The fire department said the fire was caused by overheating in the LED lamps that cover the fabric on the Ferris wheel’s wiring fabric
The Cuiabá Rural Union, which organized the agricultural fair, said in a statement that the Ferris wheel will be repaired and will have to be inspected by the fire department
The Ferris wheel stopped during the middle of the ride and began shaking before Heloísa slipped from her seat, her mother, Laiane Fernandes, told Brazilian news outlet G1.
‘Her legs were bent and only one eye was open,’ Fernandes said. ‘I ran, crouched down next to her and started screaming for her to answer me.
‘She hugged me and told me to stay calm, that God was watching over her. It was a miracle that it wasn’t more serious.’
Heloísa suffered minor injuries, but no fractures. Her 10-year-old sister suffered a fractured foot.
