Kerala: Five people, including two children, were injured after a giant wheel ride collapsed at Happyland Amusement Park in Vembayam near Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, police said.
The incident took place around 2 pm during peak holiday crowd hours under the Venjaramoodu police station limits. Preliminary investigation suggests that a failure in the welding joints and supporting metal framework led to the ride breaking apart while it was in operation.
Police said parts of the iron support structure suddenly snapped, causing riders to fall from the giant wheel.
Tourists From Nagercoil Among The Injured
The injured have been identified as Manorathi (54), Seemani (49), Malini (49), Shyam Daniel (14), and Rose (16), all tourists from Nagercoil. Several of them suffered fractures and other injuries.
Emergency Response And Hospitalization
Kerala Police and fire and rescue services teams quickly reached the spot and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals. One woman with serious injuries was later moved to Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram for specialised treatment. The others are reported to be stable.
Authorities said a major tragedy was averted as the park was crowded due to school vacation season. Police have registered a case and started an investigation to check whether mandatory maintenance inspections and safety certifications were properly carried out.