First responders recount circus accident

Nicole Gerber
ngerber@abc6.com
@nicolegerber

PROVIDENCE – First responders in Providence recount the scene at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on Sunday… after the human chandelier at the Ringling Bro. circus came crashing down.

“I looked inside, could clearly tell, that I saw all the bodies on the floor, I could see that the lights were down, there was no action going on,” said Sgt. Sean Carol of the Providence Police Department.

That’s when he sprung into action. He was working a detail when the human chandelier fell. Sgt. Carol cleared pathways for EMT’s and the audience.

“I became concerned and worried that parents and kids might start rushing out of the event center, so my primary concern was making sure that we had the pedestrian traffic covered,” he said.

Once emergency responders arrived both departments worked in tandem to move circus sets, and elephants out of the way, making room for ambulances and medics.

“First responders got inside on foot, started treating the victims on the floor, while the circus people secured elephants into cages and as additional units responded they were able to set up a traffic route in and out of the scene,” said Asst. Chief Daniel Crowley of the Providence Police Department.

There was also medical staff on hand to help the audience after the horror they just witnessed.

“It was bad, it was bad. And my primary concern after that was making sure that the kids weren’t traumatized,” said Carol.

(c) WLNE-TV 2014