Highfield Festival with Ferris wheel again this year

One year after the dramatic Ferris wheel fire at the Highfield music festival near Leipzig, the event will start with a slightly adapted safety concept. There will probably also be a Ferris wheel again at Highfield from 15 to 17 August, as the organizer Scorpio announced. However, the operator is to be changed. Last year, 16 people were injured in the Ferris wheel fire, some of them seriously.

Change of operator not an assignment of blame

"The final site planning is still ongoing, but we assume that there will be a Ferris wheel again," explained Scorpio spokesperson Jonas Rohde. He also emphasized that the planned change of operator was a "preventative measure" and not an assignment of blame, as investigations are still ongoing.

Investigation proceedings continue

The Leipzig public prosecutor's office announced that the proceedings for negligent bodily harm and negligent arson were ongoing. Two of the ride's 24 gondolas burned down last year. According to an initial assessment, material underneath the Ferris wheel had caught fire.

Minor points in the safety concept adjusted

The incident was thoroughly analyzed with the responsible safety authorities afterwards, explained Scorpio spokesperson Rohde. "However, only minor conceptual points were identified that affect some interfaces in the cooperation between the individual players and are now being optimized in a targeted manner." The festival team and helpers handled the fire professionally, so that Ferris wheel occupants could be rescued and the flames quickly extinguished.

The Highfield Festival on Lake Störmthal is one of the biggest rock and pop festivals in Saxony. Last year, around 30,000 visitors attended. This year's top acts on the program include Deichkind, Kontra K and Nina Chuba.