3 children fall from ferris wheel at Greene County, TN fair

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Three children fell from a Ferris wheel at the Greene County Fair on Monday night.

Authorities in Greeneville, Tennessee say one of the baskets flipped over around 6:15 p.m. causing three children to fall 35 to 40 feet. All three victims were children, the oldest of whom is 16, from two families. All three were rushed to a Tennessee hospital. Two were taken by helicopter and one by ambulance.

Police say all three children are alert and awake at the hospital.

WJHL spoke with an eyewitness, Gregory Lynthacum of Washington County, Tennessee, said he saw three young girls fall from the Ferris wheel when their car appeared to get caught as the wheel lifted them upwards spilling them out.

“It was like watching water pouring from a glass,” Lynthacum said. “They bounced off the metal bridging of the ride and eventually hit the ground.”

Lynthacum said the girls’ injuries appeared to be very serious. He said the ride eventually stopped after people on the ground began screaming at the ride operators.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation for a time, but later said it was no longer assisting.