Ride collapses at Chinese fairground, passengers fall

This is the horrifying moment at least nine fairground revellers were injured including one child when a swing ride crashed to the ground.

The ride at a festival in Xihe county, in northwest China's Gansu Province, collapsed on March 9.

The top frame, carrying suspended chairs hanging by chains, dropped without warning, slamming its passengers onto the ground.

One child was among the injured. The owners of the facilities were taken by the police for questioning.

Terrified witnesses told Beijing Youth Daily a loud 'bang' was heard when an iron column on the ride snapped.

Riders were then sent crashing to the floor with shocked bystanders screaming in panic.

One witness reported the ride was about four or five metres in the air at the time of the accident.

He said: "Fortunately, it was not completely into its cycle, because if it was it would've been much higher up and more people would have been hurt."

One seriously injured victim was taken to the First People's Hospital in Tianshui City.

The remaining eight were taken to the Xingkang Hospital Observation to be checked over.
The ride has now been demolished and police are investigating.

Just last month a Chinese teenager died after being thrown out of a malfunctioned swing ride mid-air at an amusement park.

The accident occurred at Fengdu County in south-west China's Chongqing city, according to local media.

The girl, 14, was pronounced dead at the hospital after failed resuscitation attempts, reports said.