SINGAPORE, Dec 24, 2008 (AFP) - Singapore officials on Wednesday were investigating a fire at the world's biggest observation wheel that left almost 175 tourists trapped for hours, some of them dangling high in the sky.
Tuesday night's fire in the control room of the Singapore Flyer shut down the 42-storey high observation wheel, leaving customers stuck for six hours before power was restored.
Rescue teams brought 10 people down in a sling in a dramatic operation while others waited in the Flyer's cars, each one enclosed and about the size of a small city bus, until the power came back and the wheel began turning again.
Police said they had ordered the attraction closed pending an inquiry into the incident, the fourth power outage at the Flyer since it opened earlier this year.
"A thorough investigation is being conducted," said Fulvia Wong, a spokeswoman for the operator of the Singapore Flyer, one of the city-state's most popular tourist attractions.
A total of 173 passengers were aboard the Flyer when a small electrical fire caused the stoppage, said Steven Yeo, general manager of the attraction. It was the fourth power outage at the Flyer so far.
"I love Singapore but I don't think I'll come to the Flyer again," said Meta Hartono, an Indonesian visitor who told of trapped passengers urinating in plastic bags while hanging in the air waiting to be rescued.
But other tourists said they were unfazed by the incident and would like to ride the wheel when it reopens.
Briton David Wiles, who had booked a Christmas eve date with his wife on the Flyer under a package that offers champagne, chocolates and strawberries, said he only learned of the closure from the newspapers on Wednesday.
"We were really excited about getting on the Flyer," he told AFP but added "these things happen, you expect them to have occasional problems."
Wiles said he had asked his travel agency to notify him once the Flyer reopens so he can take the ride.
Malaysian tourist Tan Yean Choo, 54, said she was a "little disappointed" but also hoped the Flyer would reopen before she returned home.
At 165 metres (540 feet), the Singapore Flyer is 30 metres taller than Britain's London Eye.
Unlike old-style Ferris wheel carriages that hang in the open air, the Singapore Flyer and other large observation wheels feature fixed capsules.
The Flyer has 28 capsules, which can each hold 28 people, and passengers can walk around during the slowly-moving ride.
Passengers can enjoy a panoramic view of Singapore, and on a clear day they can have a glimpse of neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Singapore Flyer, which cost about 240 million Singapore dollars (171 million US) to build, is a private venture.
Great Wheel Corp, which built the Flyer, is also building wheels in Beijing and Berlin that will edge out Singapore's as the biggest in the world.
