23 people rescued after Ferris wheel stalled at Sommerdom in Hamburg
A Ferris wheel at Hamburg’s Sommerdom stalled after a technical fault; all 23 people were brought down safely after about three hours.
Twenty-three people were trapped high above the ground for nearly three hours after a Ferris wheel malfunctioned at the Sommerdom fair in Hamburg, police said.
The ride stopped late last night because of a technical defect, prompting a large response from police and firefighters who worked to lower the structure and calm those aboard.
German tabloid Bild reported that passengers were stranded roughly 30 metres above the ground.
Operations and outcome
Shortly before midnight the attraction was returned to operation and the people were able to disembark uninjured without assistance from the fire brigade, a police spokesperson said.
The German technical inspection organisation TIF is among the bodies expected to examine the cause of the incident.
The Ferris wheel is part of the Sommerdom summer fair in Hamburg, which runs until Sunday; this year the event takes place over five weeks instead of the previous four. Organisers say more than 1.3 million visitors attended Sommerdom last year.
Photo: press material from the event
