New Year’s Eve Balloon-Drop Display Collapse — Incident Report
Family Entertainment · Display Collapse

New Year’s EveBalloon-Drop Collapse

A public-facing incident report on the 31 December 2024 display collapse during a family balloon-drop event at In The Game Peabody, Massachusetts.

Date31 Dec 2024
LocationPeabody, MA
Injuries10 minor
Fatalities0 reported
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Incident Overview

What happened

During a family “Noon Year’s Eve” celebration at In The Game Peabody, a balloon-drop setup failed and a large block display fell from above onto people below. Police said balloons attached to the display pulled it down; fire-chief reporting described venue personnel struggling to release the balloons and pulling harder on the netting before the display collapsed.

Incident name: New Year’s Eve balloon-drop display collapse at family fun center. Sources also describe it as a “Noon Year’s Eve” or “Happy Noon Years” event at In The Game Peabody.

Time: Just after noon. Peabody fire officials said the initial call came at about 12:07 p.m. local time.

Location

In The Game Peabody

Venue: In The Game Peabody / In the Game family fun center and arcade.

Address: 535 Lowell Street, Peabody, Massachusetts, United States.

County / region: Not verified from the retrieved sources.

⚠️ Source HandlingThe original CBS URL supplied in the research notes returned 404 in-tool, so a working CBS Boston article URL was used instead. NBC Boston was found but not relied on for unique facts because the page returned a 403 in-tool.

Key Figures

Confirmed Reporting Snapshot

0
Reported injured
0
Hospital transports
0
Declined transport
0
Fatalities reported

Chronology

Incident Timeline

Pre-event promotion
Venue promotion described a family “Noon Year’s Eve” party with a balloon drop at noon.
Shortly after noon, 31 December 2024
A balloon-drop setup failed at In The Game Peabody. A large display fell from above onto guests below.
12:07 p.m. approx.
Peabody fire officials said the initial emergency call was received at about 12:07 p.m.
Emergency response
Ten people were reported injured. Eight were transported to hospital and two refused medical transport. Injuries were described as minor.
Follow-up corrections
Later reports clarified that the display should not be described as an actual LEGO product.

Details

What was reported

🎈
Balloon-drop failure
Police reporting said balloons attached to the display pulled it down.
⬇️
Falling display
Fire-chief reporting said one display fell about 12 feet after staff had difficulty releasing the balloons.
🚑
Minor injuries
The consistent reported total is 10 minor injuries, with cuts and scrapes mentioned in some reports.
🧱
Product correction
Early descriptions used LEGO wording, but later reporting stated LEGO products were not involved.
⚠️ Important distinctionNo fatalities were reported, and no follow-up enforcement action, citation, lawsuit, or official investigative finding was verified in the reviewed source set.

Disputed Details

Conflicts and Corrections

The main incident facts are fairly consistent. The conflicts are about age breakdown and how the display was described.

Conflicting detail
Number of children among the injured

The total injured count of 10 is consistent, but the child/adult breakdown differs.

People / other reports

Report 10 injured consisting of four adults and six children.

EMS1 / Salem News

States four children were among those injured.

Most sources either do not state an age breakdown or align with the six-children/four-adults version. The discrepancy remains recorded.

Corrected detail
Whether the fallen structure was a LEGO display

Some early reports and descriptions used “LEGO” wording.

Early reports

Some described the fallen structure as a LEGO or giant LEGO display.

Later reporting

People, The Guardian and The Independent reported that LEGO products were not involved.

The safer wording is “block display” or “toy brick display,” not a LEGO product.

Not Verified

Unverified Details

The following items were not confirmed in the reviewed source set.

County / region
Not verified beyond Peabody, Massachusetts.
Official findings
No confirmed follow-up enforcement action, citation, lawsuit, or official investigative finding was found.
NBC Boston page
A matching article URL was found by search, but opening it returned a 403 in-tool.
Original CBS URL
The original CBS URL supplied in the notes returned 404 in-tool and was replaced with a working CBS Boston URL.

Source Material

References

Reference cards below list the news, venue, and open-source material used to structure this report.

01
CBS Boston
Display collapses on kids, families after balloon drop goes wrong at Massachusetts arcade
31 December 2024
Reports several children were hurt after a display collapsed during a balloon drop at a New Year’s Eve event in Peabody.
Visit Source →
02
WHDH 7News
“It was mayhem”: 10 injured after toy display collapses onto crowd at arcade in Peabody
31 December 2024
Reports 10 minor injuries at In The Game on Lowell Street; eight hospital transports, two declined transport, and a “Noon Year’s Eve” event.
Visit Source →
03
The Boston Globe
Building block display falls, injures 10 in collapse at Peabody arcade
31 December 2024
Reports the call came at about 12:07 p.m.; 10 people were hurt, including six children, and eight were taken to hospital.
Visit Source →
04
Boston.com
10 hurt after display collapses onto crowd at Peabody arcade
31 December 2024
Reports police said balloons attached to the display pulled it over; eight people were transported and two declined.
Visit Source →
05
People
10 People Hurt When Display Falls on Kids and Adults During Mass. Arcade’s Balloon Drop Mishap
31 December 2024 / updated 1 January 2025
Cites police and Fire Chief John Dowling; reports 10 minor injuries, cuts and scrapes, eight transported, two refused transport, and correction that LEGO products were not involved.
Visit Source →
06
The Guardian
Ten people injured after toy brick display collapses on to crowd in Massachusetts
31 December 2024
Reports 10 minor injuries, eight hospital transports, and later amended wording correcting that the structure was not made from LEGO bricks.
Visit Source →
07
The Independent
Blocks display falls 12 feet injuring 10 people in botched New Year’s Eve event at arcade
1 January 2025
Reports the display fell around 12 feet after difficulties releasing balloons; 10 minor injuries, eight hospital transports, six children and four adults.
Visit Source →
08
EMS1 / The Salem News
Four children were among those injured when balloons pulled down giant LEGOs during a New Year’s Eve celebration in Peabody
2 January 2025
Republished local coverage; states 10 minor injuries and describes the display near the lobby door, but gives a different child-injury breakdown.
Visit Source →
09
Patch / CBS Boston
Peabody Arcade Display Collapses On Kids, Families After Balloon Drop Goes Wrong
2 January 2025
Reports the balloon netting was attached to an eight-foot block structure and the display fell about 12 feet onto guests below.
Visit Source →
10
In The Game
Welcome to In The Game Peabody
No publication date visible
Official venue page listing the Peabody location as 535 Lowell Street, Peabody, MA.
Visit Source →
11
In The Game
In The Game Peabody
No publication date visible
Official venue listing confirming “In The Game Peabody” and the address 535 Lowell Street, Peabody, MA.
Visit Source →
12
Peabody Police Department
Facebook post about incident at In The Game, 535 Lowell St.
31 December 2024
Search-result text says a display was pulled down by balloons attached to it; 10 minor injuries; eight hospital transports; two refused transport. Direct page access was limited.
Visit Source →
13
In The Game Peabody
Promotional Facebook post for “Noon Year’s Eve Party”
Pre-incident promotional post
Search-result text advertises the Noon Year’s Eve Party and a balloon drop at noon, supporting the event context.
Visit Source →
14
The Guardian / Storyful
Video shows moment people injured after toy brick display collapses on to crowd
1 January 2025
Video article says at least 10 people were injured and eight hospitalised; footage credited to attendee Terri Whitaker via Storyful.
Visit Source →

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