An unexpected tragedy occurred when an ice sculpture collapsed in a Luxembourg Christmas market, taking the life of a 2-year-old boy.
The toddler was near the sculpture when it collapsed and broke into pieces. One of the shards then hit the nearby child.
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A photo of the ice sculpture that collapsed in Luxembourg, killing a 2-year-old boy:
According to Luxembourg Police, the accident took place near the skating rink at Place Guillaume II in Luxembourg City.
The young boy died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
The ice sculptures had been crafted just a few hours prior to the incident. The sculpture artist told RTL News that he and his team felt shocked and have never had a sculpture collapse before.
“This does not happen, such a thing could not occur again… [The sculpture] could not fall alone, it’s impossible,” he reportedly said.
During a press conference held by the Luxembourg City and Luxembourg City Tourist Office, one representative stated that the sculpture was intended to be interactive and was not cordoned off.
The market has been closed and the state prosecutor’s office is investigating the incident as involuntary manslaughter.
Forensics teams have seized all potential evidence and the blocks of ice that broke apart have been preserved in a special cold room. Experts hope to determine how the sculpture collapsed.
Police have called for witnesses to come forward with any details. In the aftermath, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel shared a statement on Twitter expressing his “deepest compassion” for the family. He added that he is “shocked and distressed” by the accident.