Giant wheel collapses at Kerala amusement park, five injured including kids

2 children among 5 injured as giant wheel collapses at Kerala amusement park

A giant wheel ride collapsed at Happyland Amusement Park in Vembayam on Thursday afternoon, injuring five people including two children. Preliminary findings point to a failure in welding joints and the supporting metal structure, and police have opened an investigation.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Incident occurred around 2 pm during peak holiday rush under
  • Welding joint failure caused iron support frame to snap, riders fell from ride
  • Injured tourists from Nagercoil shifted to hospitals, one critical

Five people, including two children, were injured after a giant wheel ride collapsed at Happyland Amusement Park in Vembayam near Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, police said.

The mishap occurred around 2 pm during peak holiday rush at the amusement park under the Venjaramoodu police station limits.

According to preliminary findings, a failure in the welding joints and supporting metal structure caused the ride to break apart while it was operating.

Police said portions of the iron support frame snapped suddenly, causing the riders to fall from the giant wheel.

The injured were identified as Manorathi (54), Seemani (49), Malini (49), Shyam Daniel (14) and Rose (16), all tourists from Nagercoil.

Personnel from the Kerala Police and fire and rescue services rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals.

One woman who suffered serious injuries was later shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, for specialised treatment. The remaining injured persons are reported to be stable, though some sustained fractures and other injuries.

Authorities said a major tragedy was avoided as the amusement park was crowded with visitors due to the ongoing school vacation season.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident. Officials are examining whether the amusement ride underwent mandatory maintenance inspections and safety certification checks.

Authorities said strict action would be taken against the park management if negligence or violation of safety norms is found.

- Ends