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Man, 44, Dead After Riding
Disney Roller Coaster
12.18.07 - A 44-year-old man
died after riding the Expedition Everest roller
coaster at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida of
dilated cardiomyopathy, an abnormality of the heart
muscle that causes the heart to enlarge and dilate.
According to various reports the man appeared to be
alert approximately 50 seconds before the conclusion
of the ride as riders have their pictures taken as
they head towards the end of the ride.
The ride was immediately closed
down and inspectors found the ride to be in good
condition and operating as it should be. |
Boy, 3, Killed at Amusement
Center
12.16.07 - In Castle Rock, Washington a
three-year-old boy was killed while he played in an
indoor amusement center.
Reports have indicated that the child may have
fallen off of the attraction or was standing beside
it when two adults landed on top of him. According to an autopsy
performed, the 3-year-old died of massive head
trauma.
The venue in question,
Hoppin' Houses did not have a proper state permit to
be operating and was ordered shut down on Monday. |
Boy, 10,
Breaks Legs on Carnival Ride
11.21.07 - At the Wings Over the
Prairie Festival in Stuttgart, Arkansas, a boy broke
both of his legs when his jacket apparently got
caught up in the 'Orbiter' carnival ride's
mechanical gears.
Officials say the unidentified boy attending the
Wings Over the Prairie Festival is recovering after
suffering the injuries on the Orbiter. The ride sits
two people per car and spins around rapidly up and
down.
According to eyewitnesses the boy was yanked out of
his seat. State
inspectors from the Arkansas Department of Labor
amusement rides division examined the ride. |
2
Injured on Carnival Ride
11.21.07 - Two men sustained
head injuries when they fell out and hit their heads
against a steel bar while riding a carnival ride in
Thailand.
When officials arrived on
scene of the accident, apparently mechanics were
fixing the broken rails of the carnival ride in
question.
There were no safety
procedures in place for the ride and it was at that
time closed down. |
Ride
Collapses; 8 Injured
11.2.07 - Eight people were
injured after the 'Hellraiser' ride collapsed at the
39th Big Night Out in England.
One person suffered
serious spinal injuries in the accident and was
taken to a local hospital. Two people had to be
freed by firefighters.
The accident is under
investigation.
UPDATE:
�12,000 in Fines
For Ride Collapse (ASO - Blog) |
5
Injured, 1 Killed on Amusement Ride
10.23.07 - At Siam Park in
Bangkok Thailand, one woman was killed and five
people injured in an amusement ride accident on the
Indiana Log ride
Apparently, the accident was caused by a power
system disruption---cutting the pump supplying water
to the ride stranding two boats for about two to
three minutes. When the water flow resumed, however,
it forced one boat into the rear of the boat
carrying the victims down a drop which can sometimes
reach speeds of up to 31 miles per hour... At the
bottom of the drop there was not enough water to
cushion the rides fall, injuring two adults and four children
who were rushed to a nearby
hospital with their ages ranging from 35 to 9 years of
age. The 35 year old man, however, later died at the
hospital.
A vice president of the park, said the company would
take responsibility for the accident and provide
financial compensation to all of the injured.
|
6 Injured at
Tulsa State Fair
9.30.07 - At the Tulsa State
Fair in Tulsa, Oklahoma, six people suffered
injuries when two cars collided on the Wildcat
roller coaster, which is also known as Zyklon. Three
children were taken to a hospital for evaluation and
treatment while two other children and one adult
were treated at the scene of the accident.
The ride was closed temporarily. This allowed for an
inspection by The Oklahoma Department of Labor,
who'd determined that the ride operator failed to
apply the brakes to the ride.
The ride, however, was
found to be safe and nothing unsafe was noted. |
Woman, 60, Falls From
Ferris Wheel
9.30.07 - At the Middle Tennessee
District Fair in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, a 60-year-old
woman fell as she was standing in one of the buckets of the
Ferris wheel waving.
Apparently the woman's fall came to rest at the center axel
of the Ferris wheel, lying flat on her back. As a result of
the fall, the woman suffered a broken collar bone, ribs and
leg.
The ride was immediately shut down and an investigation is
pending. |
Woman and Teenager
Thrown From Amusement Ride
9.18.07 - A woman, 28, and a
teenager, 13, were thrown from the Waltzer amusement ride in
Blanchardstown, Ireland, a suburb of Dublin.
The woman is in a critical, but stable condition at a local
hospital, while the girl has since been released from the
hospital.
The Waltzer ride is made up of
cars that spin individually while rotating around a central
point.
An investigation is pending...
Related Accidents --
Waltzer Amusement Ride:
|
Boy, 17, Injured at
Carnival
9.18.07 - At the Cullman County Fair in Cullman, Alabama, a
17-year-old boy was injured on the �1001 Nights,� amusement
ride when a piece of the ride broke off and subsequently
struck him.
The ride was shut down and taken
apart to assist in determining the cause of the accident,
which was called a 'Fluke' by the operator of the ride,
North American Midway Entertainment.
Related Accidents
- North American Midway Entertainment:
|
Boy Injured on Carnival Ride
9.9.07 - A boy was injured on the Gravitron amusement ride
and had to receive staples in his scalp after hitting his
head on a metal piece of the ride
The boy said the operator started the ride too early,
however, according to an incident report, the operator said
the boy ignored warnings and climbed up the walls of the
ride.
The Washington Department of Labor & Industries was quick to
point out that the accident was attributed to rider
error. Ride was being
operated by Butler Amusements.
Other Accidents
Involving -- Butler Amusements:
Child, 6, Killed After
Fall From Ferris Wheel
35-year-old man and 32-year old Woman Ejected From Butler
Amusement Ride (PDF)
|
Girls, 13, Escape Injury
on Carnival Ride
9.9.07 - Two lucky 13-year-old girls escaped injury when a
broken bolt and missing pin caused one side of their
passenger cage to disconnect on a ride called the
Zipper.
The Zipper is a ride in
which riders are flipped upside down as their cages rotate
along a moving oval boom.
Ride was being operated by Butler
Amusements. |
Man Killed at Italian
Amusement Park
8.19.07 - At Mirabilandia
amusement park in Savio, Emilia-Romagna Italy on the Katun
roller coaster, a young man was killed when he climbed over
a safety fence to retrieve a hat and was subsequently struck
in the head by a passing
roller coaster train.
Also injured was a girl who had
her foot
strike the man, who had climbed into the restricted area.
She apparently suffered multiple
fractures to one of her legs.
Katun has been opened since
April of 2000 and has a maximum speed of 62 mph with riders
being sent upside down 6 times. Each train contains 8 cars,
and riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total
of 32 riders per train. |
Man Breaks Back on
Amusement Ride 8.18.07 -
A man and his 9-year-old daughter were injured on the
'Spider' ride at the Price County Fair in Wisconsin when his
seat hit the ground and he was thrown from the ride.
A report says some of the ride's
joints were not greased properly. The ride's operators,
however, have said they had greased the ride three days
before the accident.
The accident shattered one of the
man's vertebrae.
The ride was being operated by
Michigan-based Spectrum Entertainment. |
Ferris Wheel Accident
in India; 15 injured
8.18.07 - A Ferris wheel collapsed at a fair in India,
leaving 12 children and 3 adults with minor injuries.
According to various witnesses,
the arms of the ride appeared to come loose, subsequently
resulting in the collapse.
The ride operator was arrested after the incident and local
police are investigating. |
5 Dead After Ferris
Wheel Overturns in Korea
8.13.07 - In Buscan, South Korea at the
World Carnival mobile amusement park five family members
fell some 65 feet to their deaths from the 216-foot-high
'Giant Wheel' Ferris wheel when the car they were riding in
overturned.
Two members of the family, however, were able to cling on to
hand bars and survive.
According to one of the survivors, a 70-year-old man, the
gondola suddenly stopped and turned upside down and family
members began to fall out when the window behind the seats
fell out of the car.
Among the dead were a 68-year-old woman, a 7-year-old boy
and two others killed at the scene. A 28-year-old woman who
had been taken to a nearby hospital later died. |
Girl Injured on Amusement
Ride
8.12.07 - At the Felixstowe Carnival in
England a young woman had to be freed from a fairground ride
after she apparently slipped on The Waltzer ride and became
trapped under one of the rides cars.
Medical personnel tried to release the woman and she was
subsequently freed then carried off on a spinal board with
suspected back injuries. |
Carnival Worker Knocked
Out by Amusement Ride
8.11.07 -
At the Nevada County fairgrounds in Grass Valley, California
a
30-year-old
carnival worker was hit in the head by The Vortex amusement
ride and was knocked out.
The Vortex was spinning when it hit the male carnival worker
above the left eye and knocked him unconscious for about two
minutes.
Law enforcement taped off the accident site and a helicopter
landed to transport the injured carnival worker for
observation.
The carnival worker had just turned on the ride when he bent
down to pick up a plastic cover that had apparently fallen
off one of the rides lights and he was subsequently struck
in the head.
The carnival was being operated by Butler Amusements.
Related Stories -- Butler Amusement:
|
Amusement Ride Accident
in Turkey; 1 Dead
8.5.07 - At an amusement park in
Kırıkkale, Turkey, two teenage sisters fell from
an amusement ride.
Apparently the two girls thought that
the ride had ended and prematurely exited their safety
belts, however, the ride restarted... One girl remains in
intensive care at a hospital, while the other girl
later died in the hospital.
Initially the ride�s operators told investigators that the
pair had not put on their seatbelts. They further insisted
that the attraction had been checked regularly and that the
accident was not a result of negligence by the amusement
park�s employees.
The amusement park is now closed, but
may reopen after an investigation has taken place. |
Father and Son
Killed in France; 2 Others Injured
8.5.07 - At the The Fete des Loges in
Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France A father and son were killed
when they were thrown from the 'Booster' ride to the
ground. Two other people, reported to be family members were
injured and hospitalized.
The 'Booster' ride has two
spinning mechanical arms with baskets for passengers at each
end. Apparently one of the arms broke off, sending a basket
crashing to the ground
Firefighters rescued two other people who were trapped for
hours in the ride's other basket, some 120 feet from the
ground. Rescuers also used ladders and had to then saw
through a safety bar to pull them free.
A carnival official stated the ride had recently undergone a
safety check and that "nothing abnormal," was found.
The accident is being investigated
by local police.
Related Stories -- European
Carnival Accidents:
European Carnival Accidents |
Boy, 3, Injured at Ohio
Carnival After
Fall 8.4.07 - At
the State Line Heritage Days festival in the Ohio portion of
Union City a 3-year-old boy fell about 25 feet
from a Ferris wheel landing on street pavement below and
suffering a fractured skull.
The subsequent investigation into whether the ride had
malfunctioned or not will be handed over to the Ohio
Department of Agriculture - Amusement Ride Safety Division.
Related Stories -- Ohio Carnival
Accidents:
Ohio
Carnival Accidents |
Girl, 2,
Injured on Amusement Ride in Colorado
8.3.07 - At the Boulder County
Fair in Longmont, Colorado a 2-year-old girl was injured as
she was dragged on a kiddie car ride.
According to Crabtree Amusements President, Patrick
Crabtree, the accident happened because the little girl was
afraid and tried to get off of the ride while it was still
running.
The girl was taken to a local hospital. She was treated for
face, arm and leg injuries and then released.
Related Stories -- Crabtree
Amusements:
|
Girl, 15, Falls From
Amusement Ride in New York
8.3.07 - At Coney Island amusement park
in New York, New York a 15-year-old suffered back and head
injuries on the Polar Express ride.
The girl was conscious when medical
help arrived and was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
A preliminary
examination of the attraction indicates that the black safety
bar on the ride had broken while it was operating. |
Girl, 6, Falls From
Amusement Ride
8.3.07 - At Six Flags America in
Largo, Maryland, a 6-year-old girl fell
from the "Octopus" ride suffering what is believed to be hip,
leg and possible head injuries. The injuries are not
life-threatening, however, according reports.
This incident took place when the girl stood up on the ride and
fell out. The fall out of the ride was believed to be up to 25
feet.
The girl was alert and conscious when medical help arrived, and
appears to be in good condition.
The ride is closed while it is being inspected. |
2 Injured on
Carnival Ride 7.25.07 - At
the Mercer County Fair in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, a six year old
boy was cut on his head and required medical attention. His
seven year old brother suffered minor injuries, as well.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture
found that the lap bar failed because it had a worn spring. The
ride was closed and the operator was instructed to replace the
spring and latch on all of the ride's cars.
It's unclear whether the two children
were even tall enough for the ride, or if they were accompanied
by an adult. |
5 Injured on Water
Ride in New Jersey
7.22.07 - In Ocean City, New Jersey at
Gillian's Wonderland Pier 5 people were injured on the log flume
ride.
The Log Flume will remain closed until
the NJ State Department of Community Affairs can determine the
cause of the malfunction and fix it. |
Man,
18, Injured After 80 Foot Fall From Amusement Ride
7.15.07 - At
Loudoun Castle Theme Park in Ayrshire, Scotland, an 18-year-old
worker died after he plunged
about some 40 feet from the Rat roller coaster. Apparently the
man, who was at the park on his day off, saw that one of the
ride's cars had stalled.
He then took
matters into his own hands and climbed to the top of the ride to
push the stalled car forward, but when it began to move, he was
still hanging on to it. He then fell.
The car was
unfortunately occupied by three guests.
Health and
Safety Executive is investigating.
Update: Loudoun
Castle Theme Park was found not guilty of failing to provide
proper training and supervision. |
Girl, 16, Dead After Fall From Carnival Ride
7.14.07 - At a
festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a 16-year-old girl was killed
after falling some 50 feet from a freefall-type ride called 'Air
Glory'.
According to
various witnesses the ripcord was pulled, however, the
victim fell to the ground while another remained on the safety
line.
Air Glory makes "grown men scream like little girls," according
to the Lifest Web site, which says the ride begins by launching
two to three people almost 100 feet in the air.
Police and state inspectors are investigating. |
Boy,
4, Drowns in Wave Pool at California Theme Park
7.12.07 - At
Great America theme park in Santa Clara, California a 4-year-old
boy drowned in water that was about 2-3 feet deep in the Great
Barrier Reef wave pool.
According to
reports, six lifeguards were on duty at the 150-foot long pool
at the time of the accident; however the victim's family
indicates that there were only four.
UPDATE:
Report Released on Death
of 4-Year-Old (04/11/08) |
Ride
Operator Struck by Ride; Killed
7.8.07 - At Powerland Park in Ala-H�rm�, Finland, a 24-year-old
ride operator walked into the path of a giant pendulum type
amusement ride; apparently, according to officials to retrieve
shoes a previous rider had left on the ride's platform.
Another
rider, on the ride at the time of the accident suffered minor
injuries. |
Woman, 20, Killed on Amusement Ride
6.29.07 - A 20-year
old woman is dead after riding the 'Mind Scrambler' ride at
Playland Amusement Park in Rye, New York.
According to people on the scene of the accident "there wasn't
very much anybody could do for her," and the woman was
pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was apparently an
employee of the park, too.
The 'Mind Scrambler' attraction spins riders around in a
darkened tent with flashing lights. It was the scene of another
fatal accident on May 22, 2004, when a 7-year-old boy wriggled
free of his restraint, knelt on the seat and fell after the ride
had started.
The amusement park has not been cited for any violations, but
officials announced plans to add seat belts, more lighting and a
second attendant at the ride.
After the Mind Scrambler accident in 2004, a 7-year-old boy was
killed the following year when he climbed out of his boat on the
'Ye Old Mill' water ride
and fell.
Related
Stories -- Playland Amusement Park:
|
Girl,
13, Injured on Amusement Ride
6.29.07 - At Boomers
amusement park in Dania Beach, Florida a 13-year-old girl
slammed her head on a teacup ride suffering head injuries and
was transported to a local hospital.
According to one witness, they remembered
hearing a banging sound as they were near the ride. Another
witness said they looked at the girl and said, "she's going to
hit
her head."
Boomers closed the teacups
as Florida state inspectors looked into what may have caused the
accident, and found
the ride to be safe. |
Girl, 14,
Dies After Riding Disney Roller Coaster
6.25.07 - At Walt
Disney Studios Park in Marne-la-Vallee, France a 14-year-old girl lost
consciousness while riding the Rock 'N' Roller Coaster.
The girl's friends noticed she was unconscious when the ride had stopped
and medical personnel at the park tried to revive her, but by the time an
ambulance arrived, the girl had died.
A preliminary inspection of the roller coaster found no machinery
malfunction, but the park has keep the ride closed.
Related
Stories -- Disney:
|
Carnival
Ride Tips Over; 6 Injured
6.23.07 - At a
carnival in Sycamore, Illinois, a miniature train tipped over sending
children and one adult to the hospital.
The ride was meant for children, but apparently an adult got on and it
toppled over spilling riders into the parking lot.
At least four people went to the hospital, and all injuries are said to
be all non-life threatening. |
Girl, 13,
Has Feet Severed by Amusement Ride
6.21.07 - A
13-year-old girl's feet were severed above her ankles while on
the 'Superman Tower of Power' ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Superman Tower of Power takes riders straight up 177 feet in
open-air seats, securing them with bars and seat belts with
arms and legs free, then drops them 157 feet at 54 mph.
According to one eyewitness, apparently a cable on the ride
snapped as the ride dropped, wrapping around the girl's legs.
The ride was shut
down and will remain closed until an investigation is complete.
Part of a broken cable was visible on the ride. Asked about the
cable, a park spokesperson indicated, "it would be speculation"
to say how the ride malfunctioned or whether the cable
contributed to the accident.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture Office of Consumer and
Environmental Protection came to the park last night to inspect
the ride.
The ride was manufactured by Intamin AG of Switzerland and
opened in 1995, and was known then as 'Hellavator.' |
Ride
Stuck; 8 Year-Old Stranded
6.17.07 - An
8-year-old Michigan boy was trapped inside a
car on "The Toboggan" amusement ride for about a half an hour in
St. Charles, Michigan.
Apparently the parents were concerned that carnival workers
weren't qualified to rescue their son and that the fire
department or such professionals should've been summoned.
Moments after the mishap, the ride was put right back into
service and the parents are concerned this type of debacle could
happen again and injure someone. The ride was cleared for
operation by a man who admitted to having no amusement ride
inspection training.
The carnival is operated by McDonough Amusements. |
Ride
Stalls; 44 Stranded
6.17.07 - An
incident at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee left
44 visitors stranded on the "Timber Tower" ride
for more than three hours.
Apparently the rides safety system engaged, and the passengers
got stuck at the top of the ride.
No one was hurt in the accident, but the Pigeon Forge and
Sevierville Fire Departments were called in to help get the
passengers off the ride.
The ride will remain closed until an investigation is complete. |
Carnival
Ride Accident in Indiana; 5 Children Hurt
6.12.07 - In St John,
Indiana five children suffered minor injuries at the St. John Family
Festival when part of the 'Himalaya' ride loosened and struck them.
Four of the children were taken to various hospitals while one of the
children refused to be taken to the hospital.
Apparently a decorative wooden panel came loose and injured the children
on The Himalaya ride which looks like a wheel on its side. The center
spins, and the attached sled-shaped cars move in a circle.
State inspectors inspected the ride after the accident, finding it safe and
subsequently cleared to resume operation.
The ride was operated by Jon Luehrs Spectacular Attractions, of Davie,
Fla. |
Boy
Drowns at Wisconsin Water Park
6.11.07 - A 4-year-old boy
drowned at the Wilderness Resort Hotel resort water park in Lake Delton,
Wisconsin.
The 4-year-old boy was pulled from the water and was
unconscious as lifeguards and personnel attempted to revive him.
He was transported to a local hospital, but efforts to save his life
were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
According to reports,
a supervisor at the pool told a lifeguard twice not to enter a pool to
help the boy as he was seen face-down in the water. Instead having the
lifeguard get someone swimming nearby to check on the child, and when
the boy was unresponsive, the patron brought the boy to the side of the
pool. |
Blackout
Shuts Down Roller Coaster; Riders Stranded Upside Down
6.10.07 - At Magic
Springs & Crystal Falls
Amusement Park in Hot
Springs, Arkansas a
dozen riders on the
X-Coaster roller coaster
spent up to a half an
hour hanging upside down
some 150+ feet above the
ground after a power
outage shut down the
ride.
After about a half an
hour riders were rescued by local
firefighters, one
passenger, though, threw up and another,
a
37-year-old man, was sent
to the hospital for
further medical
evaluation after he
complained of neck pain
and a headache.
A power company was
investigating, but it's
crews found no faulty
wiring. It is believed,
though, that an animal
or a tree
limb fell on power
lines. The power company
indicated that they
would investigate what
caused the power outage. |
Inflatable Goes Flying;
2 Children Injured
6.10.07 - At Ma'ili
Beach Park in Hawaii an
inflatable bounce house
with a 5-year-old boy
and his 2-year-old female
cousin inside suddenly
shot upward, floated
down, then bounced once,
went airborne again, and
then landed in the ocean
some 50 yards off shore.
The 5-year-old boy, fell
some 15 feet to the
ground while the
inflatable castle was
airborne, but his
injuries were said to
not be serious.
Apparently the boy's
cousin, a 2-year-old
girl, dangled from the
bouncer's netting as the
castle floated into the
ocean and began to sink.
She was subsequently
rescued by good
Samaritans who jumped
into the ocean to save
her life.
The 2-year-old girl was
conscious and had a
minor puncture wound to
her forehead. She was
transported to a local
hospital in serious but
stable condition. |
Inflatable Slide
Overturns; 2 Injured
5.29.07 - A large
inflatable ride was
blown over at the
Swansea County Show
while about 10 children
were inside of it
playing.
All the children escaped
serious injury, however,
onlookers said it was
sheer luck' none of the
children were more
seriously injured. Two
boys, though, were
treated for minor
injuries.
Apparently the slide was
flipped over by a strong
gust of wind.
The Health and Safety
Executive is
investigating the
accident. |
Water Ride Malfunctions
at Disney Wild Animal
Kingdom; 6 Injured
5.29.07 - Five visitors
to Walt Disney World's
Wild Animal Kingdom and
an employee suffered
minor injuries while
evacuating the Kali
River Rapids water ride
that had malfunctioned.
The injured was a
family of four and a
teenager all of whom
apparently suffered neck
and back pain as well as other bumps and bruises.
Apparently a sensor on
the ride tripped,
stopping it and forcing
riders to evacuate, and
the
subsequent injuries
happened while people
were moving from the
ride
to a walkway.
The issue was deemed by
Disney to be a faulty
exit platform and it was
removed and the ride
reopened.
Kali River Rapids
simulates a river rapids
trip through a rain
forest in the Animal
Kingdom part of Disney
World.
Look at Kali
River Rapids: |
Ride
Type: |
Water
Ride |
Status: |
Operating
since
5/17/1999 |
Type of
Attraction: |
River
Rapids
Ride |
Drop
Height: |
35'
|
Duration: |
4:30 |
Riders
Per
Raft: |
12
riders
per
raft |
|
|
Amusement Ride Accident
in Ohio; Girl, 6, and
Girl, 12, Injured
5.26.07 - At
RiverBlast in Dayton,
Ohio a kids ride jolted
forward as children were
exiting, dragging some
of the children along in
a circle until the ride
was shut off.
A 6-year-old girl and a
10-year-old girl were
taken by ambulance to a
Dayton, Ohio hospital,
where they were treated
for cuts and abrasions.
One of the parents, who
apparently drove their
child to the hospital
after the accident
described the aftermath
of the accident as,
"Chaotic." |
Roller Coaster
Malfunctions at Cedar
Point Amusement Park
5.26.07 - Three
patrons were slightly
injured on The Magnum
roller coaster at Cedar
Point Amusement Park in
Sandusky, Ohio.
Apparently as one train
ended its ride, it
failed to stop and hit
another at a loading
station. According to
reports, the train was
going about 10mph.
Some 59 patrons were on board the trains
when the incident took
place. Two patrons were
treated and released at
a park first aid station and another
was taken to a local
hospital with some type
of respiratory issue.
According to a park
spokesperson, "Safety is
the parks No. 1
priority."
The ride will remain
|
Carnival Ride Catches on
Fire; 37 Injured
5.21.07 - 37 people were
injured at a fun fair in
the Estonian town of Rakvere when an
amusement ride caught on
fire.
Some 37 riders were
injured in the ensuing
fire, which engulfed the
'Tivoli Tuur' ride
within minutes. Most of
the injured were taken
to a hospital, most due
to burns and smoke
inhalation.
Apparently the operator
believes arson could be
the reason for the fire,
however no evidence of
arson has been found in
preliminary
investigations.
Once the fire had been
extinguished it had
destroyed five plastic
gondolas and the ride�s
electrical system... |
Roller Coaster Derails;
1 Dead, 19 Injured
5.5.07 - At Expoland
theme park in Osaka,
Japan with people
celebrating Children's
Day a 19-year-old woman
was killed and 19 others
injured when a stand-up
roller coaster slammed
into a guardrail after
an axle on one of its
six cars broke.
Expoland has usually
disassembled their
roller coasters in
January or February for
annual safety checks
that look for any cracks
which have been caused
inside vehicle
components by using
ultrasonic and magnetic
wave devices. This year,
however, the annual
checkup had been put off
until May 15.
The six-car Fujin Raijin
II stand-up roller
coaster is designed to
carry up to 24 riders
and reach a top speed of
46.6 mph. The roller
coaster had 18 women and
four men aboard when the
accident occurred. |
Worker Killed After
Being Struck By Roller
Coaster
4.30.07 - A 21-year-old
employee at the Legoland
amusement park in
Denmark was killed when
she apparently jumped
over a security fence to
pick up a wallet that a
passenger had lost near
the track. |
Amusement Ride in France
Collapses; 24 Injured
4.30.07 -
Twenty-four people have
been injured after an
amusement park ride in
northern France plunged
to the ground.
The ride, which
resembles the
"Paratrooper," ride
lifts into the air and
rotates. The ride was
some 20 feet or higher
in the air when it
collapsed. At least two
people suffered serious
injuries which may have
included broken bones. |
Carnival Worker Falls
From Ride
4.22.07 - A man
fell from a carnival ride in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sunday
night. Eyewitnesses say it looked like the man just 'dropped
from the sky'.
Apparently, a
carnival employee of Reithoffer Shows, was working the Fire Ball
ride (a circular rollercoaster type carnival ride), when a patron
lost their cell phone. The worker began to climb the tracks
to look for the phone, when suddenly the unoccupied ride began to
move.
The worker was
hired only a week before the accident and Reithoffer
Shows was quick to point out that the ride operator had received
'adequate training' to operate the ride. When asked what that
entailed, Reithoffer Shows wouldn't comment. |
Train Derails at Memphis Zoo; 10 Injured
4.21.07 - Part of a
train at the Memphis Zoo derailed, sending ten people---eight of
them children, to the hospital with non-critical injuries.
Officials are trying to determine what caused the last car in
the train to become detached from the others before it derailed
and flipped around 12pm Saturday. None of the injured was
seriously injured and suffered mainly bumps and bruises.
According to a zoo spokesperson, "the train has never had a
similar wreck and is inspected daily, and was well under it's
maximum capacity." |
Boy, 7, And
Mother Ejected From Amusement Ride
4.9.07 - A 7-year-old boy was
injured when he and his mother were ejected from the 'Sizzler'
carnival ride. The mother was treated and released from
the hospital, however, the boy was sent to a Children's
hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Apparently the accident
appeared to be the result of an inability by the boy and his
mother (they were speaking in Spanish) to get the ride attendant
to understand that the safety bar across the seat of the ride
was not locked into place.
One of the ride attendants
recognized something was wrong, and attempted to stop the ride,
but it was spinning too fast. The boy, however, was falling out of his
seat and his mother tried to get him, but was unsuccessful. When the boy
was on the ground, he stood up, and the ride hit him.
The boy, however, stood a second time, and was struck in the
head by one of the ride's cars.
The ride had been thoroughly
inspected prior to use by a Arkansas Department of Labor
Amusement Ride Division Inspector.
UPDATE:
The 7-year-old boy has died as a result of his injuries.
[4/11/07] |
Carnival
Ride Accident in Connecticut; 2 Injured
4.8.07 - Two riders were
hospitalized after the Tilt-A-Whirl ride they were riding
fell apart in New Britain, Connecticut.
A curved, top piece of the
ride, called the bonnet, fell off while the ride was moving
apparently a steel hook broke causing the piece to come loose
causing a 25-pound piece of fiberglass to hit the two riders in
their heads.
An investigation is ongoing.
|
Roller
Coaster Malfunctions; 7 Injured
3.18.07 - Workers at Carowinds
Amusement Park in Charlotte, North Carolina sustained minor
injuries during test rides on the 'Borg Assimilator'
roller coaster.
Some sixteen workers were on
the roller coaster when an apparent technical problem
caused the locking mechanism on the seats to
come loose. This caused the roller coaster to come to a sudden
stop and begin to go in reverse.
Workers were all able to get
out of the ride on their own, with seven of them being taken to
a nearby hospital for further evaluation.
Oddly enough the ride had
already passed a South Carolina state inspection. According to
the park, if an investigation can't show what went wrong, they
will not open the ride up with the rest of the park when the
park
opens for the 2007 season next weekend. |
Two
Men Hurt While Dismantling Amusement Ride
3.13.07 - Two men
were injured when an 1760 pound carriage from the Gondolier
carnival ride toppled onto them while they were dismantling it
after a carnival in Melbourne, Australia.
Apparently, while dismantling the 1760 pound carriage of the
ride, it toppled over and struck the men, trapping one
underneath the carriage, and injuring the other.
The men were treated by paramedics on-scene and then transferred
to a hospital for further examination. |
Two
'Tumble' From Disneyland Tram
2.25.07 - One woman
was standing on a Disneyland tram within the park's 'Timon' parking
lot when she tumbled off as the tram made a turn. Another woman
tried to hold onto her so she would not fall out; however, she fell, too.
Apparently the women suffered minor injuries to their heads with
one woman suffering some type of injury to her feet. However, it
was reported that one woman had suffered a more serious head
injury than the other. It is unknown which woman was injured
most severe. One of the women, though, later left a local
hospital after treatment.
The Disneyland tram, is used to shuttle patrons from their cars
to Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure, and Downtown
Disney, and vice versa.
There are
clear instructions over a Public Address system that instructs
riders to remain seated while the tram is in motion.
Instructions
are ignored daily aboard the Disneyland Tram by riders who seem
to not care or are just mesmerized by the fact that they're at
the happiest place on earth. |
Report: Loose Restraints on Amusement Ride in Florida
1.24.07 - Two
17-year-olds said that their safety-harness came loose while
they were on the 'Extasy' amusement ride at the Manatee County
Fair in Florida. The two 17-year-olds said they had to hold on
to their seats while suspended upside-down
some 25+ feet in the air.
State inspectors inspected the ride and did not find any
problems with the restraints, however, they did think the
incident was caused by the harness not being properly secured by
the ride operator.
However, "Safety always is a top concern for the Midway
operator," indicated the office manager for The Mighty Blue
Grass Shows, who's operating the rides.
During this
same carnival, a 20-year-old was injured on a rope ladder type
game when she fell. That same manager, however, was quick to past
the buck, indicating that games and concessions are operated by
independent contractors who must provide their own insurance.
We're not
surprised, in fact we expected the representative from The
Mighty Blue Grass Shows to indicate that his fair is safe, what
else would he say?
The
representative did, however, forget to mention that a riders
hand was mashed back in 1999 on the Extasy, as well. Odd how
that was 'overlooked'
- ASO Staff |
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