**Fairground Ride Derails with Three Children Onboard at Edinburgh’s Galactic Carnival**
Visitors at Edinburgh’s popular Galactic Carnival witnessed a frightening incident over the weekend when a waltzer ride malfunctioned and a car carrying three children careered off its track. The alarming event took place on Saturday evening in Wester Hailes, raising fresh questions about fairground safety.
Kevin McNulty, whose children aged 13, 12, and seven were caught up in the mishap, recounted the experience with a mixture of relief and disbelief. According to Mr McNulty, the ride was operating at “full pelt” when the car containing his children became detached from the carousel. The airborne car then crashed into the waltzer car in which Mr McNulty himself was seated, before sliding uncontrollably into a nearby large speaker.
Capturing the panic of the moment, one of his children was filming from inside the ride. The resulting video contains the terrified screams of its occupants as their car forcefully broke away and veered off the structure. The footage has since been widely shared, prompting concern on social media regarding the checks and procedures in place at travelling amusements.
In a candid Facebook post, Mr McNulty detailed the incident, describing how the car “came completely off and then went flying into our car and then smashed about the place, crashing into the side off the track.” He expressed his gratitude that a heavy speaker happened to be in the way, speculating that otherwise the consequences could have been even more serious. “The ending would have been a completely different story,” he commented.
Thankfully, Mr McNulty reported that all three children emerged from the ordeal without serious injuries. Photographs he shared showed the aftermath, with visible damage indicating where the car had broken away from the iconic spinning waltzer. “They were very, very lucky that they managed to get out of this still walking,” he said, clearly shaken by the outcome. Minor bumps and bruises, rather than any grave harm, were the only physical after-effects.
Despite the severity of the event and the evident distress caused, Mr McNulty revealed that he had not received any direct communication from the fairground’s operators soon after the incident. Although the Galactic Carnival continued to welcome visitors on Sunday, the problematic waltzer ride remained closed for investigation and repairs.
Local public figures have responded to news of the accident. Edinburgh South West MP, Dr Scott Arthur, acknowledged on X (formerly Twitter) that he had been made aware of the incident by concerned residents and intended to take the matter up with the local council. “A few people have been in touch about an incident at the funfair, and I am in the process of raising it with the council,” Dr Arthur stated.
Attempts to reach both the fairground’s organisers and Edinburgh City Council for comment are ongoing. As of Monday morning, neither had issued an official response regarding the cause of the malfunction or the specific safety measures that will be implemented following the accident.
Incidents such as this often renew debate about the oversight of temporary amusement rides, which move from site to site throughout the year and are subject to periodic inspection. Parents and community members will likely call for a thorough review to guarantee the safety of future fairground attractions in the capital.
For now, those involved are simply grateful that what could have been a devastating accident resulted, against the odds, in only minor injuries and a reminder of the enduring importance of robust safety standards at public events.