A steel carabiner has been eyed as the cause of an accident at a Rhode Island circus that saw nine female acrobats injured after falling during an aerial performance.

The accident occurred on Sunday as eight female performers were dangling by their hair from an umbrella-shaped frame in what's known as the "human chandelier."

According to Reuters, the performers were around 35-40 feet above the ground when the frame broke free from the metal truss it was connected to. The acrobats plummeted, landing on a dancer below.

Investigators say that a 4-inch carabiner that connected the frame to a ceiling cable broke and was found on the ground in three pieces, the Boston Globe reported.

The carabiner should have reportedly been able to hold over 10,000 pounds. The frame and the performers weighed a combined total of just under 1,400 pounds.

The first aerialist to hit the ground, sustained the most severe injuries. She reportedly fractured her heels, femur and as well as a rib, which pierced her liver, caused internal bleeding.

Investigators are now trying to figure out if the carabiner was the only cause of the accident.

According to the Boston Globe, the circus inspected all its equipment and plans to replace all the carabiners before performance resume on Thursday in Hartford.

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