Gondola cover crashes onto visitors: shocking moment at the Cranger fair!

Gondola cover crashes onto visitors: shocking moment at the Cranger fair!

The Cranger Kirmes in Herne, the largest folk festival in North Rhine-Westphalia, once again offered a colorful hustle and bustle with numerous attractions from July 31st to August 10th this year. Unfortunately, an incident overshadowed the festive atmosphere: a gondola cover on the “Predator” ride fell and injured a visitor, who then had to be taken to hospital. The man was hit in the head while an eyewitness hyperventilated in shock; both received medical help quickly. The ride was immediately closed and must be presented to the TÜV before it can be put back into operation, reports Radio Cologne.

Despite the scary moment, the organizers are happy about the high number of visitors. In 2024, 4.2 million people were counted, and this year too the fair seems to be attracting many guests. However, the general mood among visitors was divided: some were enthusiastic about the attractions and what was on offer, while others complained about high prices and sometimes unpleasant arguments. Police reported over 150 calls, often due to disputes and physical injuries, which posed a certain security concern. On Saturday morning after the fair there was even a stabbing in which a 47-year-old man was injured, but without danger to his life Ruhr24 held on.

Challenges caused by the tense security situation

The security situation is currently a real challenge for many organizers. After the attacks in Magdeburg and Munich, town halls nationwide are feeling pressure to comply with security requirements, which often leads to the cancellation of public festivals. Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia and other federal states are thinking carefully about how to deal with this issue. The mayors and security chiefs are confronted with enormous demands, and financial bottlenecks make planning difficult. In Aue-Bad Schlema, for example, the cost of 180,000 euros for a city festival was not acceptable. Other festivals were also canceled, including the cherry blossom festival in Marburg and the Bölschefest in Berlin-Friedrichshagen, like Kommunal.de reported.

The concerns are not unfounded, as recent events show a lowered inhibition threshold towards emergency services, who are after all confronted with verbal derailments. To counteract this and prevent future problems, a variety of measures are being considered, including clear entry controls and trained security guards.

Overall, it shows that the Cranger Kirmes remains a popular destination despite all the difficulties. However, maintaining the balance between security and tradition will be a task for the coming years in order to continue to enable joy and carefree celebrations at the festivals.