Ferris wheel drama at the Christmas market: passengers in mortal danger!

Ferris wheel drama at the Christmas market: passengers in mortal danger!

On Monday, December 16, 2024, a worrying incident occurred at a Christmas market in Berlin when a gondola of the ferris wheel "Swisswheel" detached from her bracket while driving. According to reports from Berlin Live were lucky that the gondola was on the ground at the time of the incident, so that they could free themselves. If the gondola had been in the air, the accident might have had tragic consequences. The exact cause of the almost catastrophic event is currently unclear, but it is believed that strong gusts of wind could have played a role because another ride, a car scooter, had set up the operation near the weather conditions.

The day before, on Saturday, another Ferris wheel, the will-up giant wheel, became the scene of technical panic at the Christmas market at the Red Riesenrad. Passengers were enclosed for about 20 minutes due to a defect in the gondolas, which led to great concern, such as Bild The Ferris wheel, which offers space for up to 192 people and is decorated with over 800,000 LED lights, had to stop operating after the technical incident on Sunday morning. An electronic component was damaged, which required the quick intervention by the operating employees. Fortunately, all passengers remained intact and were able to leave the gondolas without the help of the fire brigade. Each passenger received the ticket fee of 7.50 euros.

After the two incidents, the operators of both giant wheels are now required to ensure the safety of the rides. While the “Swisswheel” team is busy repairs, those responsible for the Willenborg Ferris wheel have intensively worked on eliminating the technical problems to ensure the safest company. The attractions of the Christmas markets continue to attract numerous visitors, but at the same time attention increases to the security standards of these popular leisure activities.