Balloon drop pulls massive block display onto New Year’s Eve arcade revelers, injuring 10

NY Post ^ | 12/31/24 | Steve Janoski

[Libloather]

A block display at a packed arcade in Massachuseatts collapsed Tuesday afternoon when employees triggered a New Year’s balloon drop — injuring 10 people, including eight who were sent to the hospital.

The shocking, caught-on-camera accident during the “Happy Noon Years” event at In The Game on Lowell Street in Peabody, Mass., stunned the crowd of revelers.

In a video obtained by NBC Boston, the crowd chanted and cheered ahead of the balloon release.

But as soon as the barrage fell, it took with it a display of Legos assembled into what looked like an old-school arcade game — which tumbled directly onto spectators a dozen feet below.

Ten people were hurt, according to Peabody police. Eight of those hurt were sent to the hospital, while two declined medical transport. It’s unclear if any of the victims were children.

“I didn’t know anybody was hurt until after,” Keegan Oblenes, 13, told NBC Boston.

He added that it took a minute for the crowd to figure out what happened — and that the noisy collapse had actually hurt people at the sold-out event.

[rlmorel]

I cannot claim to have the accent! My dad retired and moved up here, so I was subjected to some good natured ridicule about my Maryland or Virginia accent.

I only go from what I hear...:)