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Circus Performers Injured After Aerial Stunt Goes Wrong

At least nine people were reportedly injured when a wire snapped during an aerial stunt in Providence, R.I. Sunday.
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At least nine circus performers were reportedly injured after a wire snapped during an aerial stunt at a Barnum and Bailey Circus performance in Providence, R.I. Sunday.

NECN reports three separate fire departments responded to the scene at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in downtown Providence after the victims fell roughly 30 feet. Six of the nine performers suffered what are being called critical injuries.

On Twitter, one man who was at the performance Sunday said several ambulances arrived at the convention center to take people who were injured to the hospital. (Via Twitter / @alexanderwood)

One witness who was there with his family told The Providence Journal, "They just dropped. ... It happened so fast you didn’t really believe it happened."

WPRI tweeted that all of the injured performers were conscious at the hospital Sunday afternoon. 

According to NECN, all of the performers who were hurt are expected to survive. The show was canceled after the accident. It's unclear if more shows could be affected.