..Circus Anonymous..

Elephant knocks over
stairs at circus..

Updated: Saturday, 07 Mar 2009, 5:36 PM EST
Published : Saturday, 07 Mar 2009, 10:30 AM EST

Ruthanne Gordon
Edited by Jackie Carpenter
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A dozen children and one adult were hurt Saturday morning while waiting for a ride on an elephant. The injuries occurred when one of the elephants decided push another elephant into a scaffold, causing it to collapse.

"It was pretty chaotic, it was pretty scary," witness Brian Shattuck of Carmel said. "One of the elephants was getting somewhat impatient just kind of head butted the other elephant in the side and then it fell into the scaffolding."

Brian couldn't believe what he saw, "When the scaffolding fell over, there was a bunch of people around it and just at that point in time, it was do we go help the people? I looked at my wife and she said let's get out of here and the people just started scattering like crazy."

Although Emergency crews were called, the Murat Firemen's Club was already there and treatment was underway within minutes.

The club is made up of off duty and retired firefighters and emergency medical personnel. Fifteen members helped treat the 12 children and the one adult injured.

"Fortunately, very fortunately, we didn't have a lot of serious injuries. They were all minor bumps, scrapes and scratches, etc. But we were here and ready," Tim Whitaker with the Murat Firemen's Club said.

Medics handed out ice packs and nerves were eventually calmed.

Since the injuries were not serious, no one had to go to the hospital.

The show went on. The elephants returned at intermission and people were ready to ride again.

Incidently, the Murat Firemen's Club routinely volunteers it's services at events like the Shrine Circus.