A festive outing turned into a nightmare in Birmingham, England, when a popular Christmas fairground ride malfunctioned, sending two women to the hospital and injuring 11 others. The horrifying incident occurred Thursday evening on the 180-foot-high Star Flyer ride in Centenary Square, a centerpiece of the city’s holiday celebrations.
The ride, operated by Danter Attractions and touted as “one of the tallest rides around,” suddenly lurched backward before plummeting to the ground. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and terrifying, with people screaming in panic as gondolas tangled in wires and riders clung to their seats.
Among the injured was Lou Brown, a local resident and BBC producer, who recounted the horrifying moment. “It felt like we were descending—not at the highest point but still quite high,” Brown shared. “We just dropped. It went backward first, though, which I’ve never seen it do before. All I can think of is, ‘What if my kids were on the ride?’” Brown suffered injuries to her face, legs, and arms but praised the emergency response. “The services and everyone who helped at the scene were amazing. This can never happen again.”
Disturbing footage of the incident, widely shared on social media, shows emergency personnel sealing off the area and rushing to assist injured riders. Pictures reveal a tangle of gondolas and wires, evidence of the catastrophic failure.
For onlookers like John Spence, 45, the terrifying scene unfolded in moments. Spence was at the fairground with his wife, Julie, and their 10-year-old son, Harris. “We were near the ride when we heard screaming,” Spence recalled. “It wasn’t your normal excited screams; this was screams of terror. There was a loud whoosh and bang, and then pandemonium. Within minutes, sirens filled the air as emergency services arrived.”
The ride’s collapse left some passengers with bloody faces and visible injuries. “It was really shocking,” said another witness. “Several people were crying as they were helped off the ride. You could see the fear and pain in their faces.”
While local authorities investigate the cause of the malfunction, questions are being raised about the safety protocols for such attractions. Families visiting the fair are expressing concerns about whether enough is being done to ensure these rides are safe, particularly during the busy holiday season.
Fairground operator Danter Attractions has yet to comment publicly, but this incident underscores a growing unease with thrill rides and their safety standards. With parents like Lou Brown and John Spence left shaken, the public is demanding accountability to prevent similar tragedies.
As families seek festive outings during the holiday season, safety must remain paramount. This harrowing experience serves as a stark reminder that even moments of joy can quickly turn into scenes of chaos when safety protocols fail. For now, the community is left asking: How could this happen, and how can we ensure it doesn’t happen again?