Two men have been seriously injured after falling from a ferris wheel at the Rolling Meadows festival at Bottle Lake in Christchurch.

A St John spokeswoman told chrislynchmedia.com the organisation’s Event Health Services team was providing medical cover at the festival when the incident occurred.

“At 2.10am we were notified of a fall. Our Event Health Services crew responded, along with two ambulances and two rapid response units from our emergency ambulance service.

“Our ambulance staff treated two patients in a serious condition and transported them to Christchurch Hospital.”

Event Hire Director Phil Anderson told chrislynchmedia.com, “Event Hire can confirm that at approximately 2.00am on New Years Day, two people were taken to hospital following an incident involving the Ferris Wheel operated by Event Hire at the Rolling Meadows Festival.

“Three men had purchased tickets for one of the final rides of the evening. All patrons are assessed prior to boarding to ensure they are fit to ride safely.

“During the ride, the operator observed the three men swinging the bucket they were sitting in and immediately told them to stop as it was against the safety rules and dangerous.

“As the operator began the process of stopping the ride and safely unloading all occupants, the bucket which the men had made swing tipped and they fell out,” Anderson said.

“Qualified medical personnel were already onsite and responded immediately. The individuals received prompt treatment before two of them were taken to hospital for further assessment.

“Event Hire has notified WorkSafe of the accident and have also engaged an independent engineer to undertake a full technical review of the equipment.

“The safety of our riders and the public is our absolute priority. Our rides operate under clearly displayed safety rules and are overseen by trained staff, including measures to ensure patrons are fit to participate. As this matter is now under investigation, we will not be providing further comment at this time.”