Thrillseekers willingly strap themselves in for intimidating amusement park rides like inverted roller coasters or human slingshot experiences to get their adrenaline fix.
But these riders tend to forget they do so at their own risk, for there are no guarantees for their safety–even if they are harnessed in.
History has shown while mechanical malfunctions on rides are rare, freak accidents do happen.
A terrifying video showed the brake system on a drop tower-type ride at a fair in India did not function properly and sent riders plummeting nearly 50 feet to the ground.
You can watch the clip filmed and shared by journalist for Hindi-language broadcaster TV9 Nikhil Choudhary here.
\u201cLive Visual of swing breaking in #Mohali phase 8, Many people got injured. Around 16 women & kids were hospitalised after the incident.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
The clip showed a flat, round platform of riders ascending and slowly rotating.
But instead of descending back down at a controlled speed, the entire ride platform did a free fall and crashed into the ground.
Social media users who were apprehensive about thrill rides made up their minds.
\u201c@NikhilCh_ this is why I never ride in stuff like this, ever.\n\nbetter to chill at home than doing this bhayankar adventure...\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ Another fear unlocked\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ This is why I don't ride amusement park rides. Honestly have you ever talked to the people in charge of these rides? I wouldn't eat a cake they baked, I'm certainly not going to trust them with my life or my child's life.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ These unsafe nonsense amusement rides should be banned in India \ud83d\udd34 \ud83d\udeab \nhttps://t.co/zmT2MiDa4K\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@DharmaPersona1 @NikhilCh_ I relate to this. I do not have a particularly high opinion of life, but that does not mean I am eager to terminate it, or gamble with events that have a likelihood of terminating it. I am happy to be a boring, ungregarious gent who chills at home.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
According to NDTV, the accident was due to a "technical issue" at 9:15 p.m. at a crowded fair at Dussehra ground in Punjab's Mohali.
The country's lax regulations on ride safety was not lost on users.
\u201c@NikhilCh_ This was heartbreaking \ud83d\ude28\ud83d\ude28\nAuthorities how it was allowed a minor \nMistake here cause serious accident.\n\nAlso please take care don't take tickets of these dangerous swings as most of them in india below par safety standard.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ Sorry what happened to these riders, but what did India expect? All of India\u2019s best engineers are in the US. The only people left behind are IT scammers, and that scam mentality is everywhere in India.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@ObserverValley @NikhilCh_ I'm not from there, but I can tell you the company I work for in the U.S. has thousands; yes thousands of engineers and architects in IT...all from India. So the comment he made does hold some credibility.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ One of my life's resolutions is to never to step on to one of these rides, especially in India where nobody cares about safety. In another incident couple of kids were electrocuted to death. Just not worth it. These guys if survive will have permanent spine damage.\n\n#Mohali\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ In swing/rollercoasters like this you need Aviation grade safety standards. \n\nDon\u2019t ever try this in india\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
Choudhary told Insider "around 50 people" were on the 50-foot-tall ride and half of them were injured.
He estimated 16 women and children were hospitalized from their injuries.
There have been no reports of fatalities from the incident as of Sunday evening.
\u201c@Jbyrd_416 @NikhilCh_ Could occur spinal injuries. A fall that twists the spine can cause a disc to rupture, causing the soft inner portion of the disk to herniate.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ We were in the previous ride & got shocked after seeing the incident. People were badly injured. We are very thankful to God for our safety and pray \ud83d\ude4f for speedy recovery for the injured people.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
The Hindustan Times reported children as young as ten years old were being treated at a medical facility near the fair.
Choudhary noted the lack of ambulances on standby at the fairgrounds and the absence of emergency vehicles at the time of the accident.
But he did say ambulances arrived several minutes later.
\u201c@NikhilCh_ I just read an article on google saying there were no ambulances at the fair and people were trying to help the injured by putting them in back of vans to go hospital, although a lovely thing to do they could of caused irreparable damage to the injured https://t.co/NlQy3Te521\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@torielms @NikhilCh_ Unfortunately what you're telling me is very normal in India. Infrastructures for safety and health are not exactly the greatest. But that's just the environment some people have to live in.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ Very Shameful. The Responsibility of Administrator who gave permission be fixed. No Ambulance Or First Aid on Site are glaring lapses.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
\u201c@NikhilCh_ I hope they all had medical insurance,oh wait its india,well at least they can sue the amusement park,oh wait its india,well i hope the park had liability insurance oh wait its india.\u201d— Nikhil Choudhary (@Nikhil Choudhary) 1662313454
Officials said the fair organizers had permission to run the event through September 4 but a board notifying of an extension to September 11 was "put up at the spot."
Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsimran Singh Bal stated:
"What we have come to know so far is that they had the permission to organise the show."
"However, no one would be spared if there is mistake committed on their part. Strict action will be taken according to the law."
