57 evacuated from suddenly stopped Moscow observation wheel, no one hurt
MOSCOW. August 10. KAZINFORM. A total of 57 people, including ten children, were evacuated from the suddenly stopped observation wheel at the Russian Exhibition Center in Moscow, city emergency situations department spokesman Yevgeny Bobylev told Itar-Tass; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
He said the wheel stopped at 6:40 p.m. local time, and rescuers were informed about the situation at 7:05 p.m. "Two rescue units were sent to the location. They immediately evacuated six people," Bobylev said.
The wheel is working again, but rescuers and ambulance vehicles are on the standby.
The city police explained the sudden stop with a technical failure, and Bobylev added that a technical commission was still studying the situation.
The observation wheel at the Russian Exhibition Center is the largest in Moscow. It opened in 1997 to mark the 850th anniversary of the city and became one of the symbols of the Russian Exhibition Center. The wheel is 73 meters high and offers closed and open cabins. The wheel makes a full rotation in seven minutes; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.