Circus acrobat suffers broken ribs, pelvis in fall from Wheel of Death

The 26-year-old circus acrobat who fell from a great height during a performance by the Kerstcircus Haarlem on Wednesday broke several ribs, and his pelvis, a spokesperson for the circus said to AD.

The acrobat and several other artists were performing in the Wheel of Death when the accident happened at around 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday. The Wheel of Death consists of spinning wheels in which multiple acrobats can show off their skills. The man lost his balance during the downward movement and fell “three to four meters” to the ground. Because the wheel was already moving downwards, he fell with extra speed, the spokesperson said.

About a thousand spectators, including many children, saw the accident happen. The circus made help available to spectators who needed it.

“Among the thousand spectators, there were also a lot of children who saw this person fall,” a police spokesperson said to AD. “This is very intense to see, so from the police, we advise people to contact the doctor if they get complaints after this. Victim Support is also available.”

The Christmas circus has been in the Burgemeester Reinaldapark in Haarlem-Oost since December 22. Performances are scheduled up to and including January 8. The circus will open as usual, but the Wheel of Death will not form part of the act until the investigation shows what went wrong.