A youngster is reportedly thrown off a whirling carnival carousel as the lock on his seat fails, as captured on horrifying video.
A lung had to be removed after Mark Fajardo, 13, crashed into a steel post while being seen by horrified spectators.
On November 1, during the Philippines’ Halloween celebrations in Urdaneta, Mark and his cousin rode the “wave swinger” ride.
According to reports, the youngsters screamed in fear and begged to be let out, but the personnel allegedly “ignored” them.
As the trip speeds up, video footage reveals the swing-style chairs fanning out almost horizontally.
Mark is abruptly thrown off at a high rate of speed and crashes against a neighbouring awning’s steel frame before collapsing to the ground amid screams from bystanders.
His family told the local media that he had significant inside wounds and needed to have one of his lung fragments removed.
They asserted that the owners of the fairground sought to place the blame for the mishap on Mark and would not accept that the lock was broken.
Mum Said Marivic Fajardo: “Doctors warned me that because he only has one lung left, he needs to be careful.
“I’m hoping the operators won’t fabricate tales.
“They’re blaming my son, saying he removed the lock. Why would he do that when the ride was going so fast?”
While officials look into it, the wave swinger attraction was shut down.
Major General Ria Tacderan, a spokesman for the police, stated: “Our challenge right now is to see if someone is watching or checking the rides before they are used.”
The fairground has a permission and is functioning legally, he continued, but if there are any safety violations, the licence may be cancelled.
Local media sources state that fairground owners have since pledged to cover Mark’s medical bills and other costs.
Mrs. Fajardo apparently promised not to sue them in exchange.
