Accident at Louisiana Harvest Festival
Two girls were taken to the hospital after a fall from a Ferris wheel during a harvest festival in Louisiana, as reported by authorities.
Point Coupee Parish Sheriff Rene Thibodeau said that he received a call around noon on Saturday, reporting that three girls were enjoying the Ferris wheel ride at a festival in New Rose. Unfortunately, two of the girls fell approximately 15 to 20 feet to the ground.
According to Thibodeau, the third girl managed to hang onto the Ferris wheel. Bystanders rushed to help her, successfully getting her to safety.
The girls who fell sustained “moderate to severe injuries” and were treated by paramedics at the scene before one was airlifted to Baton Rouge Children’s Hospital. One of the girls has been released, while the other remains hospitalized.
“We’re grateful that they will both recover,” Thibodeau mentioned.
Witnesses described a distressing scene, claiming the Ferris wheel seemed to have experienced a significant malfunction. One eyewitness stated, “I doubt I’ll ride a Ferris wheel again.” They recounted seeing a twisted car on the ride that shouldn’t have been in that position, suggesting a major breakdown occurred.
Another witness expressed concern, saying they noticed something wasn’t right just before the incident happened. “It was awful. It shouldn’t have cracked like that,” they shared. The Ferris wheel was reportedly stuck at an angle, not operating as expected.
As of now, authorities haven’t provided information on the specific cause of the breakdown, and the incident is under investigation.
The annual Harvest Festival is a three-day event taking place in False River, Louisiana, and is set to continue until November 2nd.
