Ferris wheel accident was caused by mechanical failure, police say

GREENEVILLE , Tenn., Aug. 10 (UPI) -- A mechanical failure caused the basket on a Ferris wheel at a Tennessee county fair to flip upside-down, dumping out three girls, police said.

Preliminary inspection of the Ferris wheel at the Greene County Fair in Greeneville, Tenn., indicated a mechanical failure of the ride, police said Tuesday. Greeneville Police Capt. Tim Davis did not offer details, saying he's waiting for reports from each of the four inspectors reviewing the ride.

A basket on the Ferris wheel, carrying two sisters, ages 6 and 10, and a teenager, 16, flipped over Tuesday evening to a nearly upside-down position, dumping out the girls who fell 45 to 50 feet to the ground. All three were hospitalized.

The youngest of the unidentified victims sustained a traumatic brain injury, Dr. J. Bracken Burns of the Johnson City Medical Center said. He added the 16-year-old arrived at the hospital in critical condition but has since been upgraded to stable, and the 10-year-old is in stable condition with a broken forearm.

All rides at the fair were shut down after the incident. They are expected to be open Wednesday, with the exception of the Ferris wheel, which will be returned to the manufacturer for inspection.