A cable car at a travelling amusement ride in Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico, detached from its structure and crashed to the ground on Friday night, narrowly missing a group of visitors standing nearby. The incident occurred during the second day of the fair, which was operated by Espectaculos Garcia, one of Mexico's largest fairground ride providers.
Footage captures the moment of collapse
Video recorded by an attendee shows the cable car cabin moving erratically along the ride before it suddenly broke away and fell approximately 20 feet, landing near another attraction. People can be seen directly beneath the ride moments before the collapse, escaping injury by a narrow margin. No passengers were inside the cabin at the time, and no injuries were reported among fairgoers in the area.
Authorities suspend the ride pending inspection
Following the collapse, the Municipal Directorate of Civil Protection in Ciudad del Carmen intervened and placed an official closure seal on the ride, suspending its operation pending a full safety inspection. The damaged structure was covered with a tarp while authorities conducted their checks. The rest of the fair continued to operate as normal.
Questions raised over safety protocols
Local media reported that the fair had officially opened on Thursday, but the ride company was still carrying out installation and assembly work hours after the opening ceremony. After the video of the collapse spread online, civic groups and fairgoers called on the municipality to release the mandatory Mechanical Structural Safety Dictum, questioning why the attraction was allowed to operate while installation work was reportedly still ongoing. Authorities have not yet released details on the cause of the collapse.
