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B&B Amusements had already won the bid in October, however, the state of New Mexico voided the contract due to the company's accident history which fair officials claim was not completely revealed to them in the bidding process. The state of New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against B&B Amusements, asking that a judge declare the previous contract invalid. In addition, the state is asking for $50,000 in punitive damages and compensation for the expenses incurred in the second bidding process.
Fair officials are scheduled to meet early in January to decide which company will be awarded the contract.
Last week, B&B Amusements was indicted on manslaughter charges in connection with the 1998 Himalaya accident at a Texas fair. A 15-year-old girl was killed after having been thrown out of the ride, which was owned and operated by B&B Amusements. Police found the ride to have been "poorly maintained," that the ride operators and owners had been advised of safety problems of the Himalaya before the incident, that the ride was being operated at an "unsafe" speed, that the restraint equipment was inadequate, that the use of cotter pins which were too small to hold the lap bars in place created an "unsafe" restraint system, and that this was known by the operators of the ride prior to the incident.
The company has blamed the victim for the accident.
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"Each carnival ride is transported, set up, and torn down by unskilled and poorly trained employees for each of these events," said jurors.
"Testimony has indicated that our state has little or no control of this industry."
Prosecutors in the case also expressed their amazement in regard to the actions and behavior of the companies indicted. In October, Travis County District Attorney Brian Kingston said, "I would never let my children ride on that company's rides after what I've learned."
Kingston also said that the evidence in this case is overwhelming. "It was sort of the more you looked, the more you found."
On Thursday, another Travis County District Attorney, Ronnie Earle, said, "As a result of our investigation, we have learned a great deal about the carnival industry that operates in large part in the shadows with transient workers."
While the actions and behavior of the companies indicted are not indicative of the practices of the overall carnival or amusement industry, it should be noted that B&B Amusements continues to receive the industry's full support.
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Madrid is also seeking compensation for the cost of a second search for a new fair contractor, and $50,000 in punitive damages.
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Charged with manslaughter are: Robert Dale "Bobby" Merten Sr., owner of B&B Amusements of Yuma, Arizona; Robert G. Gill, owner of Bob G. Gill & Associates of Florida; Jeff Campbell, maintenance worker for B&B Amusements; Joshua Johnson, the operator of the Himalaya ride on the night of the accident; and Philip Joseph Parenti, who also worked for Merten. B&B Amusements, the company which owned and operated the Himalaya ride, and Bob G. Gill & Associates, the company responsible for inspecting the ride, also face manslaughter charges.
The accident happened on March 19, 1998. Leslie Lane was riding the Himalaya with her brother and a friend. The three were flung from their seat after their safety bar broke off of their car. Lane was thrown into a wall and killed.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission inspected the ride and concluded that the car in which the victim was riding was defective. Austin police also conducted their own investigation of the ride, and concluded that Lane's safety bar broke off of her car "at all three points of attachment." The lap bar was later found underneath Lane's body. Police also concluded that "the use of cotter pins that were too small to keep the lap bar in place created an unsafe restraint system," and that "this was known by operators of the Himalaya ride prior to the incident."
Eight months ago, prosecutors dropped first-degree murder charges against nine people in connection with Lane's death, saying that they needed more time to examine evidence. The manslaughter charges allege reckless conduct on the part of those named in the indictments.
District Attorney Ronnie Earle says that the new indictments are "strongly supported by the evidence."
In a statement from the grand jury foreman, jurors say they were "shocked to discover how the lives of children are endangered by failing to properly regulate amusement rides."
The amusement industry continues to support and defend B&B Amusements.
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The judge will make her ruling on February 22, 2000. If found guilty, Anderson faces fines of up to $400,000.
In addition, Anderson Ventures and the Technical Standards and Safety Authority itself are both named as co-defendants in a $1 million civil lawsuit.
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Anderson faces four counts under Ontario's Amusement Devices Act. The charges include: altering an amusement device through the use of an unapproved nylon extension strap, operating an amusement device using equipment that did not meet the technical specifications of amusement device regulations, and altering the approved design of an amusement device without submitting engineering changes. If found guilty, Anderson's company faces maximum fines of $100,000 for each violation.
The ride, a reverse-bungee catapult ride called the Rocket Launcher, consists of two steel towers with a bungee cord connected to each. The cords are stretched toward the ground where they are attached to the rider's safety harness and then released, sending the rider on a high-speed vertical launch into mid-air.
The accident happened August 24, 1998 at the Central Canada Exhibition fairgrounds in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Jerome Charron, 21, was killed after his safety harness disengaged, leaving him to fall about 100 feet from mid-air to pavement.
Kent McKay, who worked for Anderson as "jumpmaster" of the Rocket Launcher, testified: "I told Mr. Charron he can put out his arms and fly like Superman."
The Rocket Launcher passed an inspection by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority on August 20, 1998, before the fair opened, however, the owner of the ride substituted a blue nylon strap for the strap which had been approved for use on the ride. The prosecutor in the case, Tom Ayres, told the court that the strap "significantly altered the safety features built into the ride."
The strap connected the victim's harness to the bungee cords.
"The use of the blue nylon extension strap created a set of conditions that was inherently dangerous," argued Ayres.
Anderson's attorney, Tom Conway, maintains that his client did "everything that could be reasonably expected" to ensure that the ride was in safe operating condition. He admits, however, that the nylon strap which Anderson substituted had not been professionally tested. He also conceded that the nylon strap was in a box nearby the ride at the time of the inspection, and that Anderson never showed it to inspectors.
Conway also suggested that, since the ride had passed the inspection, the problem may lie in the current system of regulation.
The trial resumes December 14.
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The accident happened on July 17 when two rear cars of one of the ride's six-car trains struck the fractured support and derailed. The cars were left dangling about 30 feet above the ground at a 90-degree angle. Riders were left stranded for nearly two hours until firemen finally rescued them. No one was seriously injured.
Park officials say that the fracture originated inside of the support, leaving ride inspectors unable to detect it prior to the accident.
Investigators included park officials, independent ride safety experts and representatives from the ride's manufacturer, Arrow Dynamics. Worlds of Fun also asked that the state fire marshal's office observe the investigation.
The ride has been repaired and has passed subsequent safety inspections. It will reopen along with the park in April.
The accident happened on June 2, 1997. A group of high school seniors were visiting the park in celebration of their graduation. They ignored a lifeguard's warning and rushed past him in an attempt to slide down the ride all together. The combined weight of the students exceeded the original design load by four times, and a section of the ride collapsed. Some of the students fell from heights of 30 feet. They later admitted that they were trying to break the school record for the largest number of students to ride the slide at one time. A seventeen-year-old girl was killed and thirty-two other students were injured.
The students' attorneys believe that the students should not be held reponsible for the accident, despite their reckless behavior. In an attempt to shift the blame away from the students, attorneys blame school and park officials for failing to prevent what happened.
Seven other personal injury claims are still pending, as is a wrongful death lawsuit. Those cases are scheduled to be heard on June 12, 2000.
"How he fell from a ride equipped with a contoured seat and an over-the-shoulder safety harness is not known," says a police report which suggests that Smurphat fell from the 129-foot tall ride as his car was descending in a freefall.
Gayle Ando, general manager of Paramount's Great America, says that park investigators were also unable to make any conclusions about the cause of the accident. "Despite our extensive investigation to date, we may never know exactly what happened to Joshua."
The Drop Zone Stunt Tower reopens Saturday.
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The accident happened at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto on September 1. Four lifting ropes inside the Wave Swinger ripped, causing the ride to collapse.
In a statement from the ride's manufacturer, Zierer Rides president Josef Zierer said that Conklin Shows "had replaced the original lifting ropes with ropes manufactured locally, which were not of the same quality and specifications. The lifting ropes we use for the Wave Swinger are especially designed and calculated for this ride and should always be replaced with the same type to avoid such accidents."
A Toronto court will hear the case on December 14.
Fair Commission Chairman Tom Tinnin told Albuquerque's Eyewitness NewsChannel 4: "We want people to be safe. A lawsuit, we can deal with that. We cannot deal with a death."
Officials from Murphy Brothers Exposition, Wade Shows, and Bill Hames Shows, the three midway operators who lost the original bid to B&B Amusements, say that their companies are still interested in operating the state fair midway. It is expected that all three companies will will enter new bids for the contract.
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The Albuquerque Journal reports that Madrid revoked the contract because the company failed to report a fatality which occured at a B&B carnival in California in August, 1998; that the company failed to inform fair officials that a Texas grand jury was currently reviewing evidence in connection with a fatality at another B&B carnival in Texas in March, 1998; and that the company failed to report that it was in legal negotiations with the National Consumer Product Safety Commission after the commission charged B&B with having violated the Consumer Product Safety Act in connection with the Texas accident.
"I think that this company has withheld material facts, most specifically the death of a 13-month-old child in California," Madrid told the Albuquerque Journal. "They did not tell the truth, and the state will not honor this contract. It is void as of now."
The Journal also reports that B&B owners Stephen and Robert Merten told B&B spokesman David Margulies: "Let's get the meanest, toughest lawyer and sue them."
B&B did report 74 accidents dating back to April 1997, including the 1998 Texas Himalaya fatality. The company did not report the 1998 accident which left a boy dead at a B&B carnival in California. The company says that the accident was not listed because it happened on a ride which was not being operated by B&B Amusements. The ride in question, a kiddie train ride, was being operated by Third Generation Enterprises, a company hired by B&B. Investigators determined that B&B was not at fault for the accident.
Margulies claims that the Mertens informed fair officials about the Texas grand jury investigation at a meeting in September. He also claims that fair officials had asked only for reports of accidents which occured within the past year, and that, since the company's list of accidents was dated September 2, 1999, the 1998 California fatality was not included on the list because it happened on August 30, 1998.
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Robinson also says that B&B failed to inform fair officials that they had been warned about the Himalaya's safety restraints, and that the company failed to disclose information about another fatal accident which killed a 13-month-old boy at a fair in California in 1998. That accident happened on a kiddie train ride owned by Third Generation Enterprises, a company hired by B&B Amusements. An attorney for B&B said that the company had been cleared of any wrongdoing in connection with that death.
According to the Albuquerque Journal, the fair contract mandates that bidders "describe in detail" any legal judgments which have been rendered against it, whether any patrons have been injured on rides, and whether any lawsuits are pending.
Robinson says that B&B told fair officials that its legal involvement in the B&B case had ended. Just last week, Brian Kingston, Assistant District Attorney in Travis County, Texas, confirmed that a grand jury is currently seated and reviewing evidence in the case against B&B Amusements.
A spokesman for the New Mexico State Fair says that all legal options are being explored.
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The ride has been modified and is scheduled to reopen this weekend. Safety experts say that the new modifications make it impossible for a similar-type accident to happen again.
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"It was sort of the more you looked, the more you found," Kingston told the Journal. "We thought it was better to investigate."
In response to what he has learned in the process of the investigation, Kingston said, "I would never let my children ride on that company's rides after what I've learned."
The accident happened on March 19, 1998 at the Austin-Travis County Livestock Show and Rodeo in Austin, Texas. A 15-year-old girl was killed and two other people were seriously injured after their safety bar broke off of their car, ejecting all three victims from their seat.
B&B Amusements blames the victim for the accident and has received the support of many in the amusement industry, such as the Outdoor Amusement Business Association, and Carousel magazine, a publication of the National Carnival Association.
Police investigating the accident found the ride to have been "poorly maintained," that the ride operators and owners had been advised of safety problems of the Himalaya before the incident, that the ride was being operated at "unsafe" speeds, that the restraint equipment was inadequate, that the use of cotter pins which were too small to hold the lap bars in place created an "unsafe" restraint system, and that this was known by the operators of the ride prior to the incident. They suggested that the accident was a case of criminally negligent homicide.
A grand jury continues to collect and review evidence in Austin.
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Fair officials chose B&B over two other carnival operators, including Murphy Brothers Exposition which had been providing the midway rides and concessions for the fair since 1987.
The Journal says that fair officials were "impressed by the company's safety record and quality of equipment." They were also impressed with the take B&B promised them: 43% of revenues.
B&B owner Stephen Merten assured fair officials that, for his company, safety is "a high priority."
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The accident happened in February of 1997 during a fair at the Rylstone fairgrounds near Mudgee, Australia. A metal bearing cap cracked, causing one of the ride's steel arms to break. An 11-year-old girl was thrown from her seat and killed. Two other people were seriously injured.
Prosecutors cannot appeal the verdict.
Gillian did not say who had purchased the ride, or where the ride will be relocated.
The owner is charged with manslughter. He has pled not guilty.
The accident happened in February of 1997 during a fair at the Rylstone fairgrounds near Mudgee, Australia. A bearing cap cracked, causing one of the ride's steel arms to break. An 11-year-old girl was thrown from her seat and killed. Two other people were seriously injured.
On March 19, 1998, Leslie Lane was riding the Himalaya with her brother and a friend. The three were flung from their seat after their safety bar broke off from their car. Lane was thrown into a wall and killed.
B&B Amusements, the company that owned and operated the ride, blames Leslie Lane for the accident. In May, California's Orange County Register reported that a spokesman for B&B "suggested that the only way a rider could have been thrown from the ride was if she had tried to stand up." However, no eyewitnesses -- not even the ride operators -- reported having seen the girl stand up or misbehave in any way.
B&B Amusements has received the support of many amusement industry organizations, including the Outdoor Amusement Business Association and the National Carnival Association.
Police investigators concluded that the ride was "poorly maintained," that the ride operators and owners had been advised of safety problems of the Himalaya before the incident, that the ride was being operated at "unsafe" speeds, that the restraint equipment was inadequate, that the use of cotter pins which were too small to hold the lap bars in place created an "unsafe" restraint system, and that this was known by the operators of the ride prior to the incident. They suggested that the accident was a case of criminally negligent homicide.
The civil lawsuits were filed in April on behalf of the girl, her brother, and her friend. The settlement was reached October 1. No details of the agreement will be made public. The judgment will be sealed.
The criminal case against owners and employees of B&B Amusements and ride inpectors is still pending. A civil lawsuit filed against the ride's manufacturer is also pending.
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The carnival was owned and operated by Fun Time Shows of Doniphan, Missouri. The ride passed an inspection just one day earlier.
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The measure was introduced by Democratic Assemblyman Tom Torlakson of Antioch in response to two deadly accidents; one last year at Disneyland, and the other in 1997 at Waterworld USA. Records show that there have been more than 12 fatal accidents at California amusement parks since 1973.
The bill also mandates that parks report all serious injuries and fatalities to the state, and imposes a fine of $25,000 for any violation which leads to serious injury or death. In addition, all parks must carry $1 million in liability insurance and institute safety training programs for park employees. The new law also mandates that parks repair or modify any ride which fails to pass an inspection before the ride can reopen.
California joins 38 other states which already have fixed-site amusement park rides under state regulations.
The amusement industry opposed the new state regulations, and also opposes any new federal regulations.
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Those injured were treated and released from an area hospital.
Park officials say that the spring will be replaced and that the ride will reopen next weekend.
The ride is owned and operated by Modern Amusement of Bristol, Connecticut.
The incident is under investigation.
"In light of the existing layers of inspection and the remarkable safety record that has resulted, we think the present regulatory system works very well and we question whether federal regulation of fixed-site rides would improve upon this record," says IAAPA spokesman Joel Cliff.
In response to the latest CPSC statistics which show an 87% increase in the number of amusement park ride injuries since 1994, Cliff cautions against drawing any conclusions about an increase in the actual number of occurences of accidents and injuries.
"According to our sources at the CPSC, the bulk of that increase was largely due to changes and improvements in their methods of data collection and analysis rather than an actual jump of 1500 injuries in one season. As you can see by the numbers from the past three years, the figures have remained fairly consistent, and have even gone down."
CPSC records show that fixed-site amusement rides were responsible for an estimated 4,300 injuries in 1996; 4,600 in 1997; and 4,500 in 1998. There were an estimated 2,400 injuries in 1994.
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Brown reports that in 1994, there were an estimated 2,400 injuries which occurred at amusement parks and led to emergency treatments. By 1998, the number had risen to 4,500, an increase of 87%.
At present, the CPSC only has jurisdiction over carnival rides which move from state to state. The CPSC used to regulate all ride operation, including that of fixed-site amusement park rides, however, in 1981, Congress exempted all fixed-site amusement rides from federal regulation.
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"The customer had replaced the original lifting ropes with ropes manufactured locally, which were not of the same quality and specifications. The lifting ropes we use for the Wave Swinger are especially designed and calculated for this ride and should always be replaced with the same type to avoid such accidents," says Josef Zierer of Zierer Rides.
Authorities in Canada have ultimately come to this conclusion and have declared that the Zierer Company was not to blame for the mishap.
Sixteen children were injured in the accident, none seriously.
Park officials say that the ride was operating properly, and that the child's safety bar was locked.
Yesterday, Democratic Congressman Edward Markey of Massachusetts announced that he will introduce the new federal legislation, which would give the CPSC the authority to regulate the operation of all amusement park rides in the United States.
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At present, the CPSC only has jurisdiction over carnival rides which move from state to state. The CPSC used to regulate all ride operation, including that of fixed-site amusement park rides, however, in 1981, Congress exempted all fixed-site amusement rides from federal regulation.
Markey's legislation would give the CPSC the authority to set standards for rides, perform inspections, investigate accidents, recall unsafe equipment, and impose civil penalties.
The CPSC supports the legislation.
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At present, the state only has jurisdiction over carnival rides.
Under the measure, Los Angeles County would be exempt from state regulation because it already has an inspection program in place.
It is expected that California Governor Gray Davis will sign the bill into law.
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The boy claims that he and several other riders tried to alert ride operators before the train left the station, but that the operators failed to respond.
Park officials say that the ride was working properly at the time of the incident. The ride passed a subsequent inspection.
On August 23, a 20-year-old man was killed after he fell out of the ride. Park officials fault the man for the accident, citing witnesses who saw the man acting unruly during the course of the ride.
The accident happened after the ride's four lifting ropes broke. The owners of the ride had replaced the manufacturer's original lifting ropes with ropes manufactured locally, which were not of the same quality and specifications.
Fourteen children, aged 5 to 15, were taken by ambulance to area hospitals. Two other children were treated at the scene. Injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to head, neck, and back injuries. None of the children's injuries appears to be life-threatening.
The ride, owned and operated by Conklin Shows, was operating at full capacity when the accident happened. It had been inspected once on Tuesday and once on Wednesday.
The accident marks the second time in one week that a Conklins Shows ride malfunctioned. On Friday, two people were injured when a Conklin ride broke at the Central Canada Exhibition fairgrounds in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. That accident happened when a steel arm, which carried the victims' car, broke off from the ride and fell to the ground.
Both rides have been shut down and the accidents are under investigation.
The Giant Drop and Drop Zone rides are already equipped with shoulder harnesses. Representatives from Intamin AG, the designer of the rides, have said that the Drop Zone was operating properly when the accident happened.
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Before a new amusement park ride can operate in Illinois, it must be inspected by the state. Each ride must also pass a yearly inspection, and is subject to random inspections by the state.
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The accident happened when the car rolled backwards for 30 feet and rounded a sharp curve. The centrifugal force of the curve ejected the victims from the ride. Ultimately, the car collided with a stationary car in the loading station.
One other child and one other adult were also injured in the crash. They were treated at a local hospital and released shortly thereafter.
The coaster is one of the park's newest attractions, having opened in July. The Wild Wonder is a newly-manufactured, mini, steel "wild mouse" coaster, built by Zamperla Rides, whose local offices are located in Parsippany, New Jersey. Representatives from the company will help investigators inspect the ride and determine how the accident happened.
The ride passed two inspections, including one state inspection which took place less than two months ago.
The ride has been shut down pending an investigation of the accident.
The ride has been shut down.
The ride has been shut down. Park officials say they are not sure when the ride will reopen.
The incident happened on the park's 125-foot-high Boomerang roller coaster. Park officials say that a lifting device, which pulls the coaster from the station to the top of an incline, failed to release the train.
No one was seriously injured.
Boomerang was manufactured by Vekoma International of Holland. It opened at Marine World last year.
On Sunday, a boy was killed after he fell from the Drop Zone ride at Paramount's Great America theme park in Santa Clara, California. On Monday, a man was killed in an accident involving "Shockwave," a stand-up, steel roller coaster at Paramount's Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia.
In Ohio, Paramount's Kings Island theme park has closed two of its own rides: Drop Zone, and King Cobra, another stand-up steel roller coaster similar to Shockwave. Paramount now has seven rides shut down at five parks throughout North America. Paramount officials say that the rides will remain closed until the investigations of this week's accidents have concluded.
Park officials also say that the ride's restraint system was working properly, and that there were no errors made by ride operators which would have contributed to the accident.
Representatives from the ride's designer, Togo Rides of Cincinnati, Ohio, are helping park and police officials determine the cause of the accident. The ride will remain closed throughout the investigation. Paramount has also closed "King Cobra," a similar stand-up-style roller coaster at its Kings Island theme park in Ohio.
Another witness, who was riding next to the victim, claims that no one checked to make sure the shoulder harnesses had been secured. He, too, says that the boy fell out as the brakes began to bring the car to a stop.
Park officials say that they found the boy's shoulder harness to be locked when they inspected the car after the accident happened, however, the harness may have locked as a result of the forces exerted on the car as it was stopped by the brakes.
The accident is under investigation. The Drop Zone remains closed.
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The rides will remain closed until the investigations of the two accidents have concluded.
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Shockwave was designed by Togo Rides International and opened in 1986. It reaches a height of 95 feet and speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.
The Ghost Rider, which opened in December, will remain closed until it passes a safety inspection. The ride was designed and built by Custom Coaster Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Park officials say that the victim's shoulder harness was locked, and that it remained in place during the accident. They also say that the boy had met ride safety requirements.
Park officials have asked representatives from Intamin to help them investigate the accident. The Santa Clara police department is also investigating. The ride is closed indefinitely.
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Firefighters used inflatable devices to lift the ride off of the victim. After the boy was freed, he was transported by helicopter to a hospital, where he underwent surgery. His injuries included a head wound and broken bones, in addition to possible broken arms, dislocated shoulders, and multiple internal injuries.
The state fire marshal inspected the ride and determined that it did not malfunction. Park officials had planned to operate the ride Saturday, but have decided not to, out of respect for the victim.
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Officials say that the door of the chilren's compartment was not properly secured, and that the accident happened when the door opened and caught on one of the ride's railings. The car flipped twice, causing the children to be thrown around inside their compartment.
The 49-year-old ride will be shut down until it has been re-inspected by state officials.
In March, one woman was killed and nine people were injured at Six Flags Over Texas after a raft capsized on the park's Roaring Rapids ride. A faulty inner tube was to blame for that accident.
While both Riverside Park and Six Flags Over Texas are owned and operated by the same company, their river rapids rides were not designed by the same manufacturer. Roaring Rapids was designed and manufactured by Intamin AG of Switzerland, and Blizzard River was designed and manufactured by O.D. Hopkins Associates of Penacook, New Hampshire.
A spokesman for Premier says that all of its 17 rapids rides at Premier and Six Flags theme parks across the country will remain closed until the investigation of yesterday's accident is completed.
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Two of the victims were treated and released from a local hospital, however two adults and two children remain hospitalized. The two adults are listed as being in critical condition, while one child is listed as being in serious condition, and the other in fair condition.
Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety and Riverside Park are investigating the cause of the accident. The ride will remain closed until the investigation is completed.
The accident is the third of its kind this season. In March, one woman was killed and ten others were injured after a raft capsized on the Roaring Rapids ride at Six Flags Over Texas, and less than two weeks ago, five people were injured at Visionland Park in Birmingham, Alabama, when their raft overturned on the park's "Wild River Gorge" attraction.
While both Riverside Park and Six Flags Over Texas are owned and operated by the same company, their river rapids rides were not designed by the same manufacturer. Roaring Rapids was designed and manufactured by Intamin AG of Switzerland, and Blizzard River was designed and manufactured by O.D. Hopkins Associates of Penacook, New Hampshire.
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Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that the man was electrocuted in the ride's control booth. Officials say that riders were never in any danger.
A spokesman for Calkins Amusements said that all of the rides operating at the fair were inspected before the fair opened, and that all were found to be in safe condition.
Premier revealed that, between 1997 and 1998, there had been 128 injuries sustained by riders of Mind Eraser roller coasters: 31 at Elitch Gardens, 33 at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky; 42 at Riverside Park in Agawam, Massachusetts; and 22 injuries at Six Flags Darien Lake in Darien Center, New York.
Lawyers for Elitch Gardens demanded that the detailed information contained in the reports be kept from the public under the terms of a strict confidentiality agreement.
A spokeswoman for Elitch Gardens insists that the Mind Eraser coasters are safe.
Ride operators are supposed to leave a 20-second interval between each raft when dispatching them from the loading station.
All five victims were treated and released from a local hospital.
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Twenty-five firetrucks and at least seven ambulances responded to the scene. Firefighters rescued the four occupants of the derailed cars. The two cars of the six-car train were left dangling about 20-30 feet in midair at a 90-degree angle.
Worlds of Fun is owned and operated by Cedar Fair L.P. of Ohio.
The Orient Express is a multi-element steel roller coaster designed and manufactured by Arrow Dynamics of Clearfield, Utah. The ride is 19 years old.
The woman claims she was injured as the force of the boat entering the pool of water at the end of the ride threw her into an incorrectly fastened, and inadequately padded safety restraint.
The park has since modified the ride. All restraining bars are now heavily padded.
The lawsuit charges the park with failing to warn riders about the potential dangers of the ride -- dangers which they knew existed. At least 21 other people were injured on the ride in 1997, including one person who was taken by ambulance to a local hospital on the same day which the woman filing suit says she was injured. Another Mind Eraser coaster, located at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky, caused 54 injuries to riders over the past three years. Both parks are owned by Premier Parks of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Attorneys for Elitch Gardens have asked that the case be dismissed. The park insists that the ride is safe.
The accident happened in the ride's boarding station. As one of the ride's trains was being loaded with passengers, the other train, which was finishing its run, failed to stop as it entered the station, and collided with the stationary train, sending it through the station and out onto a section of track. About 30 people were injured in the crash.
The ride is equipped with automatic and manual brakes, both of which passed a mechanical inspection. The ride has passed park and state inspections and has been re-opened.
The Thunderbolt is 75-years-old and was renovated in the late 60's.
There were no injuries.
Authorities are blaming the accident on a broken metal coupling, used to attach the ride's cars. The ride was traveling in reverse when the accident happened.
The ride passed an inspection on March 27. The Super Himalaya is owned by Norman Kaufman. New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has called for all of Kaufman's rides to be re-inspected immediately.
Ironically, the girl was riding in car number 19, the same number car from which another teenage girl was thrown to her death in a Himalaya accident in Texas last year.
The woman, who had worked as a scientist at the University of Southern California, claims she suffered a coma after riding the Indiana Jones ride in 1995. She underwent four surgeries as a result of a torn brain stem and says her brain continues to leak fluid. She accused the park of negligence, saying that she was not adequately warned of the potential dangers of the ride.
Disneyland says that the ride is safe and that the injuries the woman may have sustained are part of the "inherent risk" of riding a roller coaster.
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The coaster train came to rest in the same area of track where it stopped in a similar incident on April 7.
The ride passed one inspection on April 1, and another before it re-opened after last month's mishap. Park officials say that the ride will remain closed until it passes another inspection.
The carnival was owned and operated by Murphy Brothers Carnival.
The accident happened at the Central Canada Exhibition grounds in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, last year. A 21-year-old man was killed while riding a reverse-bungee ride called the Rocket Launcher. The man was launched over 130 feet straight up into midair, and then fell to the pavement after the harness, which attached the bungee cord to the victim, disengaged.
The ride passed an inspection three days before the accident, but officials say that its owner made unauthorized modifications to the ride after the inspection. Conway says that the owner had done nothing wrong.
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority of Ontario has charged Anderson and his company with four counts of safety violations, including: altering an amusement device through the use of an unapproved nylon extension strap, operating an amusement device using equipment that did not meet the technical specifications of amusement device regulations, and altering the approved design of an amusement device without submitting engineering changes. If found guilty, Anderson's company faces maximum fines of $100,000 for each violation.
A trial date will be set on June 10.
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OSHA officials are allowing the ride to continue to operate, and say that it will be some time before they issue a report.
In March, OSHA fined Disneyland $12,500 for "serious violations" in connection with a fatal accident at the park in December.
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The Superman coaster is the park's newest attraction; it was opened to the public on Saturday.
Park officials say that the passenger restraint system was working properly, and that the weight of the rider, which was in excess of 300 pounds, could have been a factor. The ride will remain closed until it has been re-certified by state inspectors.
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On April 20, 1997, the Nylatron material on one the Wildcat's roller coaster cars shattered, causing the car to roll backwards down the lift hill and crash into another car which was approaching the chain lift mechanism. One boy was killed and six people were injured in the crash.
The park settled civil lawsuits with victims last year, and has discontinued all usage of Nylatron.
Officials did not say how the other riders might have been thrown from the car, or why the safety restraint lap bar ejected from the car with the victims.
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Police called the death accidental, and say that there is nothing that indicates that there was any kind of malfunction.
The man was employed by McDonagh's Amusements, the company which operated the carnival. The ride was inspected after the accident and found to be in safe operating condition. It was opened to patrons just hours after the accident had occurred.
Prosecutors say that they need more time to examine the evidence, and that the extended investigation will ultimately lead to some type of criminal charges.
"As we re-examined our evidence, we learned of possible new evidence, and it became clear that a tremendous amount of additional investigation will be necessary to ensure that those who are responsible for the tragic death of Leslie Lane and the injuries of two other children are held criminally accountable."
Police investigators concluded that the ride was "poorly maintained," that the ride operators and owners had been advised of safety problems of the Himalaya before the incident, that the ride was being operated at "unsafe" speeds, that the restraint equipment was inadequate, that the use of cotter pins which were too small to hold the lap bars in place created an "unsafe" restraint system, and that this was known by the operators of the ride prior to the incident. The girl's safety bar broke off from her car while the ride was whirling at high speeds. The victim was thrown from the car and into a wall. The lap bar was later found underneath her body. Investigators found that the lap bar broke off from the car "at all three points of attachment." Police suggested that the evidence points to a case of criminally negligent homicide.
The victim's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the carnival owners, the ride's manufacturer, ride inspectors, and the Travis County Livestock Show and Rodeo.
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Investigators concluded that several of the air chambers located within the inner tube of the raft had deflated, causing the raft to ride low in the water and to tilt to one side. As the raft passed over an incline, the deflated inner tube became lodged against a pipe which runs underneath the surface of the water, along the ride trough. The pipes are used to create the rapids effect along the surface of the water throughout the ride. The force of the water flowing from behind the raft, which was stopped at an angle, ultimately caused the raft to flip over.
The force of the rushing water may also have caused a bungee cord, used to attach the seating unit to the inner tube, to break, causing the two raft parts to separate.
Inspectors have not determined the cause of the air leaks, but say that five adjacent air pockets within the inner tube had deflated, four of which were leaking air at the seams. All of the ride's inner tubes will be examined at a laboratory, where they will undergo pressure testing and be certified. Once the rafts are returned to the park and have been reassembled, they will undergo further testing.
Six Flags says that it will install ramps throughout the course of the ride, which will prevent rafts from lodging against the pipes in the future. They will also use an additional roping device to secure the seating units onto the inner tubes. Also, in response to claims that the park's rescue efforts were delayed, the park will install flotation devices around the ride area, and a new emergency warning system in the loading station. The system will indicate to ride operators when the force of the water has slowed to a safe level whenever the pumps are shut off in an emergency situation. This will allow operators to enter the water and begin rescue efforts at the earliest possible time.
The investigation included safety experts from Six Flags and Intamin AG, the designer and manufacturer of the Roaring Rapids ride. They also included inspectors from ATA Associates, Freeman Enterprises, PLH and Associates, and Richard J. Coulter and Associates.
The park employees who were responsible for the maintenance and operation of the ride and its equipment were cleared of any negligence or liability by investigators.
The ride will reopen after all safety modifications are made to the ride, and after all of the rafts are thoroughly tested.
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Six Flags and Intamin have both declined to comment on the case.
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The ride was inspected hours before the accident, but inspectors found no problems.
The sensor has been replaced and the ride has passed a state safety inspection. Park officials say that the 23-year-old ride will reopen after they are convinced that the new sensor and a backup sensor are working properly and consistently.
The ride passed a state safety inspection just six days prior to the incident. All equipment was found to be working properly.
The ride will reopen after inspectors have definitively concluded that the braking system failed, and after the ride's equipment performs consistently throughout testing procedures.
The incident happened on the Vampire roller coaster. The coaster train failed to complete what is known as a boomerang element. Similar to the more commonly known corkscrew element, a boomerang is a twisted U-shaped section of track which inverts riders twice. The train failed to pass through the second inversion, and came to a stop on the section of track which dips between the two inversions. Cars toward the front and back of the train were tilted at nearly 45 degrees, and the occupants of those cars were the first to be rescued. The riders of the middle cars were only slightly angled.
Riders were given a stuffed animal and a bottle of water for their inconvenience. No one was injured.
The coaster was manufactured 14 years ago by Vekoma International of the Netherlands. It was first operated at Lakeside Amusement Park in China. Five years later, it was dismantled and sold to Kentucky Kingdom. The coaster was reconstructed at Kentucky Kingdom and reopened there in 1990. It is the oldest of the park's roller coasters. Normally, it reaches speeds of up to 48 miles per hour and heights of up to 125 feet. It travels forward though three inversions, then backward through the same three inversions. The ride lasts less than a minute.
Park officials will inspect and fix the ride before it is reopened, although it was inspected just hours before the incident occurred.
The ride will remain closed until park officials determine what caused the accident.
If found guilty, Anderson's company faces maximum fines of $100,000 for each violation.
The ride, a reverse-bungee catapult ride called Rocket Launcher, consists of two steel towers with a bungee cord connected to each. The cords are stretched toward the ground where they are attached to the rider's safety harness and then released, sending the rider on a high-speed vertical launch into midair.
The Rocket Launcher passed an inspection by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority on August 20, 1998, before the fair opened. Three days later, the victim boarded the ride, which had since been altered by the owner. A nylon extension strap connected the man's harness to the bungee cords. As the rider was launched, the harness disengaged. The man was killed in his 130-foot fall from midair to pavement.
Attorneys representing Anderson say they are not yet sure what they will do.
The pleas will be entered on May 20.
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The accident happened as the park's Columbia sailing ship was docking. The vessel was traveling too fast at the time the operator roped it to the dock. A 9-pound metal cleat was torn from the ship's bow, and flew into a crowd of people, where it struck and killed a 33-year-old man.
Disneyland was cited for failing to provide adequate training for the ride operator, and for overloading the bow cleat.
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Park officials say that they waited for their own paramedics to report to them before they called for help.
Six Flags is reviewing its procedures.
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Park officials say that ride operators are trained to respond to emergency situations, but that park policy restricts operators from leaving the dock and entering the water to help. Operators are instead trained to activate an emergency alarm, which alerts the park medical staff and other trained employees.
A spokeswoman for the park claims that help arrived within two minutes, but some say that two minutes is too long a reponse time, and that timing is crucial when a person is drowning.
Park officials admit that there were no life preservers, ropes, or poles nearby which might have assisted in the rescue effort. They say they will review the park's procedural policies.
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CPSC has received reports of five incidents involving the Himalaya ride resulting in two deaths and three injuries. This repair program is the result of a CPSC investigation of these incidents. Most recently, one rider was killed and two others seriously injured when they were ejected from the ride in Austin, Texas, on March 19, 1998. The component failures appear to be the result of poor maintenance and inspection procedures. These rides should be properly inspected and maintained according to the manufacturer's specifications or serious injury and death to riders can occur.
Reverchon is offering ride owners and state safety officials current inspection and maintenance guidelines, and a free tolerance gauge which measures wear on the lap bar latch. Ride operators also must install a speed control device and a secondary lap bar latching device. For more information, owners and state safety officials can contact Reverchon in the USA at (503) 694-2803 or Reverchon in France at 011-331-6074-9400.
CPSC is working with state regulators to ensure that these safety repairs and inspections are carried out. In addition to this repair program, CPSC has issued three safety alerts to states for inspection of the Himalaya rides. While CPSC has jurisdiction over the mobile rides that move from place to place, states and local communities are responsible for inspections and oversight.
While most states currently have some mandatory regulations or inspection program to ensure ride safety, the following states have no regulations and do not require that rides be inspected for safety: Alabama, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Vermont. The following states have insurance company or other private inspections, but do not require inspections by state or local regulators: Arizona, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas.
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It is not yet known how long the Roaring Rapids attraction will remain closed, however the park will be open this weekend as scheduled.
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While the cause of the accident is under investigation, Arlington police say that there is no reason to believe anyone was responsible.
The woman was the first customer to have been killed at the park in its 38-year history.
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The park denies any liability.
The Speed Slide, also known as the Super Slide, is a 40-foot vertical drop water slide attraction at Knoebels Amusement Park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania.
The lawsuit seeks $9,200 in medical costs and at least $50,000 in damages on behalf of one girl, 11, who suffered vaginal lacerations and had her cervix torn away from her vaginal wall as a result of riding the Speed Slide. The suit also alleges the girl suffered pain, embarrassment, humiliation, emotional distress, permanent vaginal scarring, significant blood loss, and loss of her daily activities. The suit also seeks $5,300 in medical costs and at least $100,000 in damages on behalf of the other girl, 12, who suffered a two-inch cut inside her vagina. Both girls underwent emergency surgery.
The park is charged with negligence, failure to monitor the amount of force of the water and its effect on riders, failure to fix defects, and failure to provide adequate warnings to riders.
The bill would also require that signs inform people of the nearest location for reporting any accidents or injuries, and directions to the nearest first aid station. General safety guidelines and ride operational instructions would also be posted.
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The woman, 36, fell from the park's Big Foot Rapids Ride in 1996. Her injuries included a fractured rib and bruises. She admitted that she stood up as the raft in which she was riding approached a waterfall, but her attorney contended that the accident would not have happened had her seat belt worked properly.
Attorneys for the park argued that the accident would not have happened had the woman remained seated. They also argued that riders are warned to stay seated throughout the ride, and that the woman must have removed her seat belt.
The woman was awarded the $69,000 in compensation for medical treatment, and mental and physical pain. She did not receive any punitive damages.
The park will not make any modifications to the ride.
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The ride had started several minutes before the accident, but was not carrying any passengers.
The death has been ruled an industrial accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating and will determine whether the fault lies with the ride, the ride operator, or the victim. The ride reopened on Monday.
The case is expected to resume in April.
The accident happened on a ride called the Rodeo Rider. Apparently, a cable separated from the ride, sending the victims' car crashing to the ground. Officials from the Fair Rides Inpections Bureau of the Florida Department of Agriculture are investigating. They have not yet determined what caused the cable to break off from the ride. Meanwhile, the ride has been ordered closed until the investigation is complete and repairs are made.
The ride is said to have been fairly new and in good operating condition at the time of the accident. There are no records of any previous accidents involving the Rodeo Rider. The ride passed a safety inspection on January 6.
The ride, a reverse-bungee catapult ride called Rocket Launcher, consists of two steel towers with a bungee cord connected to each. The cords are stretched toward the ground where they are attached to the rider's safety harness and then released, sending the rider on a high-speed vertical launch into midair.
The Rocket Launcher passed an inspection by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority on August 20, 1998, before the fair opened. Three days later, the victim boarded the ride, which had since been altered by the owner. A nylon extension strap connected the man's harness to the bungee cords. As the rider was launched, the harness disengaged. The man was killed in his 130-foot fall from midair to pavement.
Officials have not yet determined whether the cause of the accident was mechanical failure or human error. They say that will be determined in court.
Ottawa-Carleton police officials will decide whether to file criminal charges against Anderson.
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The lawsuit was filed after a 32 year old woman died as a result of burns which she sustained in a go-kart accident in Pensacola, Florida in June of 1992. The accident happened after the kart in which the victim was riding, which was built and sold by the Milwaukee company, burst into flames. The woman was trapped in the car for more than two minutes, as gasoline poured from the 2-gallon fuel tank and burned all around her. Attempts to rescue the victim from the vehicle were unsuccessful, as the intense heat from the blaze kept back by-standers. The woman finally fell from the vehicle after the seat belt which she was wearing burned through.
She was later airlifted to a hospital in Mobile, Alabama. Most of her body was burned through to the muscle. Many parts of her body were completely destroyed, including her nose, ears, and fingers. Despite all this, she remained conscious throughout the entire time she was trapped in the kart, and while she was being transported to the Mobile hospital. She remained there and underwent treatment for ten months, after which she was sent to a rehabilitation center in Texas. She eventually contracted an infection there and finally died on June 17, 1993.
Martin Levin, the attorney who argued the case against Johnson Kart Manufacturing and its president, Melvin C. Johnson, described the woman's injuries as "the worst pain attainable by a human being."
The woman's doctor described them as "beyond our wildest imagination."
Johnson's company used Honda engines to power the karts, but installed two-gallon gas tanks on the cars instead of one-gallon tanks, which were the standard for the type of engines used. Washers were then welded onto the caps of the gas tanks to make the tanks more accessible for refueling. The evidence showed that the welding weakened the caps and made them more sensitive to the vibrating of the engine, which often caused them to loosen and fall off the cars. Workers at the Go-Kart track in Pensacola testified that several gas caps would fall from the cars each day, and that they told Johnson about the problem, but he repeatedly ignored their complaints. Johnson was not present at the trial, and no defense was presented.
The jury returned its verdict to Circuit Judge Diane Stykes, who called the jury's action "stunning; absolutely stunning."
Levin does not expect to collect much of the award from Johnson or his company. He said that his goal was to send a message to Johnson and to the industry.
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