Leipzig, 18 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - At least 23 people were injured after a Ferris wheel at Highfield Festival near the eastern German city of Leipzig caught fire, police said on Sunday, a day after the accident occurred.

A specialist investigator came to the site on Sunday morning and began a probe into what caused the accident, a police spokeswoman said.

Initially, one of the gondolas of the Ferris wheel caught fire at around 9 pm (1900 GMT). The fire then spread to the second gondola. Both were completely destroyed by the fire, according to a dpa reporter at the scene.

The policewoman said the main question was how the accident happened and what led to the injuries.

The site of the fire was cordoned off and the criminal investigation department has begun an investigation, she said.

Of the 23 people injured, four suffered burns and one was injured in a fall. The others who were injured, including first responders and at least four police officers, were examined in hospital for possible smoke inhalation, she said.

The police were unable to provide any information on the condition of those who were injured or their age and gender. The exact number of people injured has also not yet been finalized, the spokeswoman said.

Earlier, a festival goer from Cologne said that the Ferris wheel suddenly sped up. The burning gondolas were at the very top of the wheel.

German rapper Ski Aggu was performing when fire broke out.

"I'm absolutely shocked and upset about the Ferris wheel fire during my show at Highfield," the rapper said in a post on Instagram. "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."

A fire service spokesperson told the dpa around 30 minutes after the fire broke out that the situation was under control.

The music festival at Lake Störmthal was set to be headlined by Macklemore on Sunday.

Photo: print screen