Two men have been arrested and bailed after Birmingham city centre fairground ride crash

Two men have been arrested and subsequently bailed following a fairground ride crash in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police confirmed that the men, aged 21 and 55, were arrested on suspicion of obstructing officers and perverting the course of justice, BBC reports.

The arrests come after a recent incident involving the City Star Flyer ride, which collapsed on Thursday 13th December, resulting in two women being rushed to the hospital. 11 others were treated by paramedics on the scene following the event.

To ensure public safety, police officers have established a presence in Centenary Square to assist with the Health and Safety Executive’s investigation. A cordon was set up around the area and is expected to remain in place as enquiries progress.

Emergency services rushed to the scene at 7:30pm on December 13th, quickly erecting barriers and advising the public to avoid the area. West Midlands Fire Service confirmed that the ride had “dropped to the ground” while in operation, with images revealing some of the gondolas entangled.

Police by the barricaded attraction

Louise Brown, one of the riders who was injured during the incident, shared her harrowing experience. “It’s hard to process how one minute you can be innocently having fun and screaming in a scared way to then screaming because you could’ve potentially lost your life,” she recounted.

John Spence, 45, from Warwick, was at the fairground with his wife Julie, 42, and their 10-year-old son Harris. He described the moment, saying: “We were near the ride when we heard screaming. It wasn’t your normal excited screams; this was screams of terror.”

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He said there was a “loud whoosh and bang”, and that the scene became “pandemonium”, adding: There were lots of people in hi-vis jackets running over to help people get off the ride.

“Within a few minutes, you could hear sirens. The emergency services were incredible and all so calm.”

Another witness said: “We saw some of the people getting helped off the ride, and several had bloody faces and were crying. It was really shocking.”

In response to the incident, a spokesperson for Danter Attractions, the company operating the Star Flyer ride, said: “Our thoughts are with the individuals and families affected”. They also assured the public that they are “fully co-operating with the authorities” as the investigation unfolds.

Featured image via SWNS