2 girls rushed to hospital after being thrown from Ferris wheel at harvest festival, authorities say

NEW ROADS, La. (WAFB/Gray News) - Authorities in Louisiana say two girls had to be taken to the hospital after they were injured at an annual fall festival event.

According to Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff Rene’ Thibodeaux, the girls were riding a Ferris wheel at the Harvest Festival in New Roads on Saturday when they were thrown from the ride.

One of the girls was airlifted to a Baton Rouge hospital. Details about their conditions have not been released.

Thibodeaux said all rides at the festival were closed for inspection until being cleared by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal said it is continuing to investigate the situation. Authorities said the Ferris wheel and an adjacent slide ride were shut down.

Eddie Jones had just bought tickets to the Ferris wheel and was going to be on the next ride. He said he saw the aftermath of the accident and heard the chaos.

Jones said he saw two girls on the steel platform below the Ferris wheel with blood on them.

“We were in line to buy tickets to the Ferris wheel, and I heard a girl scream. I looked over, and the Ferris wheel car was kicked over. I don’t know how it got in that position, but it was stuck,” Jones said. “Yeah, I’ll probably never get on another Ferris wheel.”

Jones said this could have happened to anyone, and there are no seatbelts in place to protect the riders. He believes the accident was preventable.

“It should not have stuck like that - they had a major malfunction. Someone didn’t do something right, that’s for sure,” he said.

The Harvest Festival is a three-day annual event on False River. It runs through Sunday, November 2. Organizers describe it as a fun-filled event with rides, live music, food, and more.