During Ski Aggu’s performance at Highfield, a ferris wheel caught fire, causing injuries.
A ferris wheel in Leipzig, Germany went up in flames at the Highfield music festival on Saturday, injuring over 30 people.
The fire broke out around 9 p.m. while Ski Aggu was on stage. Despite the visible fire, he was advised to keep performing to avoid panic.
Aggu later posted, “IĆ¢ā¬ā¢m absolutely shocked and upset about the Ferris wheel fire during my show at Highfield. I was only told through my earpiece that I should not stop the show under any circumstances, but should initially continue to talk with you so avoid mass panic. The priority was to prevent the situation from escalating any further. Fortunately, that worked.”
Investigators found that the fire started in an empty gondola and spread to another. The cause remains unknown as of Sunday.
Among the injured, two had serious injuries, four suffered burns, and one person was hurt from falling. Most others had inhaled smoke, according to the German Red Cross.
“Those affected are receiving treatment and are doing well considering the circumstances. We are in close coordination with the fire brigade, the police and the rescue and medical services,” said Highfield Festival organizers in a statement (via the Independent). “We will cordon off the ferris wheel accordingly and then continue operations as planned.”
This year’s festival, one of the biggest in Germany, features acts like Rise Against, Macklemore, Mando Daio, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, and the Kooks.
