A performer plunged 10ft during a terrifying aerial show at a busy shopping centre.
The female acrobat suffered a head injury, with stunned witnesses reporting blood on the floor after the fall.
The victim – dressed as a flower fairy – had been balancing atop a 10ft-high pole, swaying to music, when disaster struck.
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A loud click was heard from the equipment moments before the pole suddenly tilted, sending her crashing head-first onto the hard floor with no safety mats or nets in sight.
She lay motionless as shocked onlookers watched on and staff rushed to her aid.
The accident happened at Wanda Plaza in Tongling, China, during the busy May Day holiday period on Sunday (3 May), as reported by Need To Know.
Shoppers immediately called emergency services, while mall workers quickly cordoned off the area as an ambulance took the injured performer to hospital.
A spokesperson for the shopping centre later insisted the fall was not caused by equipment failure, but by the performer swaying excessively and exceeding the pole’s elasticity.
Staff claimed she landed in a “controlled, cushioned manner” and said her lack of movement was due to fixation devices on her body needing careful removal, rather than her being unconscious.
The performer has since been discharged from hospital, with all remaining shows cancelled.
Local authorities have now launched an investigation into the safety certification of the equipment, the use of protective measures, and the training records of the performance team.
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