Two cable cars on a Ferris wheel caught fire at a music festival near the east German city of Leipzig on Saturday evening. According to local police, four people suffered burn injuries, with one person injured by falling. First responders on the scene, as well as people riding the Ferris wheel, came into contact with smoke. A total of 18 people were taken to hospital for further medical treatment.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated, and organisers did not immediately issue a statement. Local media reported the festival continued after the incident, with the scene of the fire cordoned off. The Highfield festival takes place near the Stoermthaler lake in the constituency of Grosspoesna, and is one of the biggest rock music festivals in the region, with up to 25,000 attendees.
On Sunday morning, police were still unable to provide any concrete information about the condition of those injured. The exact number of casualties had also not been determined, dpa reported.
The operator of the Ferris Wheel told dpa that no passengers were sitting in the gondola in which the fire started.
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