Ferris wheel catches fire with people on board in Germany

Tengrinews.kz - A Ferris wheel caught fire during the "Highfield" festival at Lake Stormthal near Leipzig, Germany, with people still in the cabins, reports Bild.
The fire reportedly broke out around 9 p.m. on the evening of the festival, when a cabin on the Ferris wheel ignited, quickly spreading to a second cabin. The wheel continued to operate with passengers inside during the incident.

"We smelled burning plastic but thought it was coming from a nearby campsite," one festival-goer told the publication.

According to the Leipzig police, four people suffered severe burns, and one person was injured from a fall. Additionally, 18 people were treated for smoke inhalation, including rescue workers and police officers. The head of the German Red Cross confirmed that two of the injured are in critical condition.

The Ferris wheel was nearly full at the time of the fire. The operator, Otfrid Hanstein, told Bild that he is baffled as to how the attraction could have caught fire.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.