A 60-foot Ferris wheel collapsed during a late-night fair in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, injuring at least 30 people, police said.
The accident took place around midnight last Wednesday in Bhainsaha village in Kushinagar district, where hundreds had gathered at an ancient temple complex hosting the annual fair.
Video footage captured by a fairgoer showed the moment the ride, carrying dozens of people, including women and children, suddenly tilted to one side before crashing to the ground. Several riders were seen seated in the Ferris wheel cars as the structure collapsed.
Witnesses rushed to help those trapped beneath the twisted metal, pulling victims from the wreckage in the immediate aftermath of the collapse.
Local media reports said the ride was carrying nearly 80 people and had completed two rotations before emitting a creaking sound and collapsing.
मेले में लगा 60 फीट का झूला घूमते वक्त उखड़कर गिरा,30 लोग घायल
— Journalist Amit kumar 'देव' (@AmitKum995) April 5, 2026
घायलों में ज्यादातर महिलाएं और बच्चे,
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ये हादसा #UP के #Kushinagar में लगे मेले में हुआ है@CMOfficeUP @dgpup#SocialJustice #UPCM #uppolice #EasterCelebration @AjaiBhadauriya pic.twitter.com/gzrI847XAt
At least 10 people were reported to be critically injured, while others sustained minor wounds.
Police said rescue operations were launched immediately, with six ambulances dispatched to the scene to transport the injured to nearby medical facilities. An eyewitness said one side of the swing’s support pillar broke mid-operation, causing the entire structure to come crashing down, according to the news website NDTV Hindi.
The fair is held annually on the banks of the Narayani river within the temple premises, attracting devotees from neighbouring Bihar as well as visitors from across the border in Nepal.
Preliminary information suggests a technical fault had been noticed earlier, but the operator allegedly continued running the ride, raising concerns of negligence. Authorities registered a case and are investigating whether mandatory safety checks were carried out.
Fairs in India attract huge crowds and are often organised around religious festivals and local events at temporary fairgrounds in rural areas. Such fairs have continued to spark concerns over safety and regulation by organisers as they typically feature makeshift rides assembled on-site, sometimes with limited oversight.
In 2024, a shocking video showed a 13-year-old girl dangling from a Ferris wheel after slipping from her seat mid-ride at the Jholu fair in Uttar Pradesh, India. Footage shows the teenager gripping the beam just outside one of the pods. She managed to cling onto the ride for nearly a minute until it reached the ground.
