is the world's single most comprehensive, detailed, updated, accurate, and complete source of amusement ride
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State of Wisconsin vs. Charles Carnell
Criminal Complaint
On July 30, 2010 at approximately 11:53 AM Officer Shawn Posewitz of the Lake Delton Police Department responded to the Extreme World
attraction, located in Sauk County, Wisconsin, regarding a female juvenile… who had been injured on Extreme World’s “Terminal Velocity”
ride.
Charles Carnell described Terminal Velocity as a free-fall ride whereby patrons are lifted in a cage/platform to approximately 165 feet
in the air. The cage is always taken to the top of the structure, but hangs approximately 15 feet below it. Patrons are individually
lowered through a trap door in the floor of the cage. When the all clear signal is given, the patron is released in order to drop 110
feet into a net and airbag located below. The airbag would be inflated to about 50 feet above the ground. When the patron is released
and hits the airbag, it deflates by about half. The rest of the safety apparatus is then lowered so that the patron can walk off the
ride.
Officer Posewitz spoke with Charles Carnell about what happened on the ride with [the victim]. Carnell was the “dive master” of the
Terminal Velocity ride that day responsible for taking patrons to the top of the ride. [The victim] and two others were secured in
their safety harnesses and entered the cage. At some point during the cage began to ascend, but the cage stopped before it got to
the top of the ride and was lowered slightly. Carnell looked over the side of the cage and saw that his co-worker, Natalia, was
blowing up air bags at the bottom of the ride.
After the cage began its ascent for the second time, Carnell made small talk with the patrons until the cage stopped again.
Carnell thought the cage was at the top of the ride. Carnell stated that when the ride gets to the top, the first thing the
dive master is to do is to look over the side of the cage and give the all clear signal. The all clear signal is when the
dive master puts his/her arms straight out to the side, away from the body. The dive master is then to wait for the same all
clear signal from the ground operator. Carnell said that he didn’t look for or get the signal. He stated that he totally
blanked out. He said he didn’t know why. Carnell said he knew he should do it and that he had no reason not to. He said
that when you get the signal, it means it’s all clear; it means the bags are inflated.
Carnell stated that when he looked through the trap door in the bottom of the cage to place [the victim] for the jump, he
thought the bags were inflated. Witnesses… stated the bags were not inflated and that [the] net was completely on the ground
not providing any kind of jump safety.
When asked why he thought the cage kept stopping, Carnell said to add air to the airbags. He stated that it was typical because
the bags don’t up fully inflate due to slow leaks in them. If a ground operator sees a crease in an airbag, he/she will stop the
cage to add more air. Carnell said this happens quite frequently. Carnell stated [that he] didn’t look over the side of the cage
other than the first time it stopped and was lowered slightly. He explained that when they stopped and went down a little he
knew what the operator was doing and didn’t even look out.
Carnell stated he got [the victim] in place through the trap door in the bottom of the cage, unhooked the safety device, and
pulled the release from her jump harness. [The victim] then did a free-fall to the ground. Carnell heard a thud and saw her
land on her back. Carnell saw [the victim’s] eyes roll back in her head. Carnell estimated that the cage was approximately
100 feet in the air, rather than 165, when he dropped her to the ground. When [the victim] hit the ground, that’s when he
realized the cage was not at the proper height.
When Officer Posewitz arrived on scene he observed [the victim] lying on the ground on the mat directly under the ride.
[The victim’s] skin was gray and her lips were blue. There was blood coming from her mouth, ears, and nose. [The victim]
was taken by med flight to the Children’s Hospital in Madison.
Doctors from the Children’s Hospital in Madison described [the victim’s] injuries to include, but are not limited to,
swelling of the brain, several severe fractures of the cervical and lumbar segments of her spine, multiple fractures of
her pelvis, and lacerations to her liver, spleen, intestines, and duodenum. At the time of her initial hospitalization
she was unconscious and unresponsive to any stimuli. Officer Posewitz was advised that the fractures to the vertebrae
had entered the spinal column, which may result in paralysis. At the time of her initial hospitalization, [the victim]
was not stable enough to undergo necessary surgeries.
Girl's free fall ends with no safety net, serious injuries
(July 30, 2010) - At Extreme World in Wisconsin Dells, a 12-year-old girl was seriously injured
during a free fall after she was released without the safety net in position to catch her.
The accident happened on an attraction called Terminal Velocity, a suspended catch air device,
or "SCAD Dive." It is manufactured by Montic Hamburg of Germany.
The ride consists of a platform which is lifted to a maximum height of 140 feet. The rider, wearing
a harness to keep them in a safe landing position, is then released from the platform. Once released,
there are no cords or cables attached to the rider or the harness, and the safety net breaks the rider's
fall and lowered to the ground. The park's website says that "airtubes and break suspensions around the
double net stop your fall so softly that you feel virtually no impact at all."
Normally, the rider is dropped from the carriage at around the 140-foot mark. The rider falls about
100 feet, then hits the safety net at 40 feet. In this case, the girl was dropped from a height of 100
feet, and landed on the ground, on top of the net, which was never lifted into position. Once the girl
landed, she was found not breathing and without a pulse. Witnesses said they saw blood coming from her nose,
eyes, and mouth. She was rushed to a hospital via helicopter. Among her injuries were 10 fractures in her
back and one in her skull.
The ride passed a state inspection on June 28. It has been ordered closed while police and state inspectors
investigate.
In 2002, a 13-year-old boy was seriously injured during a SCAD dive in Orlando, Florida. He suffered
a broken leg and a broken hip after falling 30-40 feet. He, too, was released when the net was not in
position to catch him. In this case, the manufacturer of the ride, Montic Fischer of Germany, said that
signal lights had incorrectly indicated to the ride's operators that the net was in position to catch
the jumper.
Also, in 2003, a 30-year-old SCAD diver in California was seriously injured in a similar accident.
Again, the net was not set to its proper position.
UPDATE: In a statement to CBS News, Extreme World reported that the accident was caused by
"human error." Apparently, the ride operator released the girl without checking to make sure
that the net was in position to catch her. Extreme World said that the operator is on leave
"for mental health reasons." For more details, read
Park ride victim's father: "She was dead" at cbsnews.com.
UPDATE: The girl remains hospitalized, but is now in stable condition. She has regained consciousness.
(August 17, 2010) - At the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Gaithersburg, Maryland, a ride operator was struck by a rotating swing ride called Vertigo.
He climbed over the metal fence that surrounded the ride and entered the path of the swings when he noticed that the swings were colliding with another section of the
fence.
Witnesses said it appeared that the foot of at least one rider collided with the fence as the ride lowered back to the ground. The fence was then partially dragged
into the path of the ride. Some swings collided as the fence became an obstacle and interfered with the normal rotation of the ride. One child who was on the ride
suffered minor injuries when he collided with the fence.
A news crew from WTTG FOX 5 was on the scene filming for another news story and captured the accident on camera.
The Vertigo is manufactured by A.R.M. Inc. of Ohio and operated by Powers Great American Midways. It passed an inspection when the fair opened last week,
but has been shut down as investigators work to determine what went wrong.
UPDATE: A spokesman for the fair said that the swings, which are designed to stop rotating once they are lowered inside the fenced-in loading area around
the base of the ride, did not stop, causing the riders legs to collide with the fence.
Associated Press
Park train derails; 15 injured
(August 11, 2010) - At Tiny Town amusement park in Colorado, 15 people were injured when a miniature train derailed and rolled on its side,
spilling passengers onto the ground. Most riders suffered only minor injuries.
UPDATE: Investigators from the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment determined that the accident was caused by operator error.
The engineer of the train admitted that he panicked when he realized the train was moving too fast as it entered a turn, where it should
have been moving at only 3mph. He said that he mistakenly reached for the accelerator rather than the brake. Ultimately, the operator
attempted to correct his mistake, and applied the brakes, but by that time, it was too late and the train had begun to roll off the
track.
WAVY News, August 6, 2010
Park's inflatable prop injures riders during storm at Busch Gardens
(August 5, 2010) - At Busch Gardens theme park in Williamsburg, Virginia, five people suffered minor injuries
on the Griffon roller coaster when a 25-foot inflatable prop blew into the path of their train. Five riders were
treated at a hospital for minor neck and back injuries.
The park said that workers were in the process of removing the props when the accident happened.
The ride was inspected and found to be in proper operating condition.
Associated Press
Riders evacuated from Sky Glider at Wisconsin fair
(August 5, 2010) - At the Wisconsin State Fair, more than 130 riders were left stranded
for up to three hours on a cable lift ride called the Sky Glider when the ride's motor failed.
The Sky Glider carries riders across the fairgrounds in slow-moving cars that hang from cables
stretched high above the fair's midway.
Rescue workers used cherry-pickers and fire truck ladders to bring riders to safety. No one was
injured.
Girl, 9, injured in fall from Super Himalaya
(July 27, 2010) - At the California Mid-State Fair, a 9-year-old girl suffered minor injuries when she fell from a Super Himalaya ride.
Witnesses said that the girl stretched out her legs out underneath the safety bar and took an unsafe riding position while the ride
was running in reverse at full speed.
In the wake of the accident, the ride's owner, Davis Enterprises, plans to reduce the ride's speed from 13 to 12 rotations per minute.
Also, netting will be added underneath the bars which will prevent riders from lowering themselves through the space between the bar
and the floor of the car.
Investigators determined that the girl met the ride's height requirement, and that neither the ride nor the safety bar malfunctioned.
Emergency stop injures riders on drop tower
(July 25, 2010) - At Isla Magica theme park in Seville, Spain, several riders suffered minor injuries on a drop tower ride
when the emergency stop system engaged. Riders were treated for nausea, minor cuts and bruises at a local hospital.
The ride, called El Desafio, consists of a 220-foot tower. A 32-passenger cabin drops from the top of the tower and
allows riders to experience a 170-foot free fall before it slows to a stop. The ride has different programs, or ride
cycles, that change throughout the course of the day. The carriage had made it through the first drop of the cycle
successfully, but failed to complete the second drop.
Park officials said that the ride's monitoring system triggered the emergency stop when it detected that the ride
carriage was traveling too fast. Riders waited 10-15 minutes before the carriage was lowered back to the platform.
The ride was manufactured by Maurer-Söhne of Germany.
WTTG Fox 5
Roller coaster injures three at Trimper's Rides
(July 22, 2010) - Three children between the ages of 10 and 15 suffered minor injuries when a cable snapped
on the Tidal Wave roller coaster at Trimper's Rides in Ocean City, Maryland.
The Tidal Wave was manufactured by Vekoma Rides. It is commonly known as a boomerang-type roller coaster.
The train is pulled up a 116-foot incline, then released. It then passes through three inversions --
a cobra roll and a vertical loop -- before it is pulled up another incline, then released, at which
time it travels through the inversions in reverse.
The ride is closed for repairs and reinspection.
Le Quotidien
Ride operator struck by Kamikaze ride gondola
(July 21, 2010) - At a fair in Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada, a ride operator was struck by a swinging
gondola on a pendulum-type ride called Kamikaze. He suffered serious injuries, but is expected to
recover.
The ride, operated by Amusements Spectaculaires, was found to be in proper operating condition.
KOSA CBS 7
Girl breaks arm in fall from swings at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
(July 18, 2010) - A 10-year-old girl broke her arm in a 6-foot-fall from the Whirligig swing
ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The girl's mother claims that the girl was not secured and that
the ride operator did not check to make sure that all riders had their restraints in place.
According to the girl's mother, the girl was taken to the park's first aid station, where
she was bandaged. After she was told by park officals that the girl was fine, the mother
took the girl to the hospital, where she learned that her daughter's arm was broken.
European Pressphoto Agency
La Vanguardia
A YouTube video shows the ride in operation
Girl, 15, killed in amusement ride collapse
(July 17, 2010) - At Tibidabo amusement park in Barcelona, Spain, a catastrophic failure of an
amusement ride left a 15-year-old girl dead, one person hospitalized in critical condition,
and another in serious condition.
The ride, called El Pendulo (The Pendulum), consists of a giant vertical arm with a 4-passenger carriage
attached to its end. The arm hoists the carriage to a height of 124 feet. When the arm is released, riders
experience the sensation of freefall as the carriage drops through the air, swooping through a 150-foot arc
at speeds of up to 60mph. The arm swings the carriage back and forth through the air, until it is slowed
by gravity and finally the ride's braking system.
Witnesses said that the base of the ride gave way and the entire ride toppled over, crashing onto a flume
ride called the Gold Mine, then plunging to the ground, where the passenger cabin was severely damaged.
Just three and a half hours before the accident, maintenance workers were called to the ride because
it was making strange noises. Workers examined and tested the ride for 10-15 minutes, then reopened it
after they did not detect any problems.
The investigation is focused on the bolts that attached the metal base of the ride to the concrete foundation.
The bolts will be sent to a laboratory for extensive testing, after which time investigators will determine
whether they were long enough and wide enough to sustain the pressures exerted by the ride, and whether they
were anchored to the concrete properly.
It was also reported that the company responsible for the maintenance of the rides has only been working for
the park for sixteen days.
RTL Nieuws
Fair worker killed
(July 17, 2010) - A fair worker was struck by an amusement ride called Body Shake
during a test run and later died from his injuries. The accident happened at the
Zwarte Cross fair at Lichtenvoorde, in the Netherlands.
(July 16, 2010) - At the Calgary Stampede, an annual fair and rodeo held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada,
ten people were injured when a fair ride called the Scorpion broke apart.
The ride consists of three arms. At the end of each arm is a wheel-like structure that
carries 8 cars. As the arms whirl, they tilt the wheels of cars up into the air, as the wheels
spin and the cars swing. One of the wheels broke off its arm, fell off the ride platform,
and crashed into a barrier. Some cars flipped over and fell to the platform where the
whirling cars that were still attached to the the ride crashed into them.
Witnesses said that at least three of the ride's cars were seriously damaged, and that
the injured riders were either ejected or struck by other cars.
Four riders were treated at the scene and released while six were rushed to area hospitals with
more serious injuries, but none that were life-threatening.
The ride is operated by North American Midway Entertainment. It passed a safety inspection just
hours before it broke apart.
Man injured in fall from reverse bungee ride
(July 16, 2010) - At the Hegyalja Festival near Tokaj in northeast Hungary,
a 21-year-old man suffered a fractured skull and broken limbs when he fell out
of a reverse-bungee ride, according to police.
RT via YouTube
Cable snap leaves 'Rocket' riders dangling 200 feet in the air
(July 16, 2010) - At Divo Ostrov theme park on Krestovsky Island in St. Petersberg, Russia,
ten people were left dangling 200 feet in the air after a cable snapped on a ride called Rocket.
The passenger carriage was lowered to the ground and rescue workers were able to bring all of the
riders to safety. There were no reports of injuries.
(July 11, 2010) - At Dixie Landin' amusement park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a 21-year-old woman fell from a roller coaster
and died an hour later from her injuries.
The ride, called Xtreme, is a compact spinning roller coaster manufactured in 2000 by
Maurer-Söhne of Germany. Its cars, which can accomodate four passengers, spin as they
race around the track at speeds of up to 37 miles per hour. Xtreme operated in Europe
until it was installed at Dixie Landin' in 2007.
The ride passed a state inspection last month, and initial reports from investigators indicate
that no mechanical problems have been found with the ride.
Witnesses said that it appeared the woman fell about 30 feet.
Park officials addressed the accident in a statement made shortly after the woman's
death was reported: "We are all saddened by this terrible accident. An investigation
by the state fire marshal's office has begun to try and determine the cause. Our thoughts
and prayers are with the family at this time."
Afghan Voice.com
Restraints open during ride on looping roller coaster
(July 6, 2010) - At La Ronde theme park in Montreal, Canada, four safety restraints opened
suddenly on a looping roller coaster called the Boomerang. The passengers completed their
ride without injury, as centrifugal force kept them from falling out.
The Boomerang is a common roller coaster type. The train is pulled up a 116-foot incline, then
released. It then passes through three inversions -- a cobra roll and a vertical loop -- before
it is pulled up another incline, then released, at which time it travels through the inversions
in reverse. The restraints opened as the train began its second pass through the inverions.
Only centrifugal force prevented the riders from falling out during the inversions. Had the
train stalled or malfunctioned during one of the inversions, the result may have been catastrophic.
Park officials said that the mechanism which unlocks the restraints, which is activated only
in the loading station, somehow activated during the ride. The ride was closed, but opened a day
later after adjustments were made and the ride was reinspected.
Global Times
Amusement ride catastrophe kills six, injures ten in China
(June 29, 2010) - In Shenzhen, China, Ecoventure Valley theme park became the site of the
deadliest amusement ride accident in history when a space shuttle simulator malfunctioned, killing six people.
The indoor ride, called Space Journey, consists of 12 cabins that spin and rise to the top
of the dome, where there is an 80-foot screen showing images of the universe.
Each cabin has the capacity to hold four passengers.
Witnesses said that there was a loud noise, smoke filled the air with the smell of something
burning, the lights went out, and machine oil started spraying. They said that some of the 44 riders on board were ejected from their
cabins while the cabins were crashing into each other and falling 40-50 feet to the ground.
According to one witness who survived the catastrophe, "All the cabins but the one we were sitting
in were destroyed. Some people fell onto the rail and some fell on the ground. Some people died
instantly and were just hanging dead in their seats."
Most riders were unconscious and rushed to area hospitals once rescue workers broke into the ride
and evacuated them; at least ten were reported injured, five of whom were hospitalized in serious condition.
The dead included two men and four women, ranging in age from 24 to 48 years old.
Ecoventure Valley is a theme park located at the Overseas Chinese Town East tourist resort.
According to a park spokesman, Space Journey was manufactured by Beijing Jiuhua Amusement Rides Manufacturing Company.
A ride description posted at the park's website reads: "By taking an aircraft simulator, you can
personally experience the 2G acceleration of gravity in the time of rocket launch. The dome in the
diameter of 24 meters vividly reproduces the scenic wonder of the vast universe so that your dream
of flying to space appears to come true."
Park officials said that the accident was the result of a mechanical malfunction, not human error,
and that the manufacturer should take the blame. Civil authorites said they believed a mechanical malfunction
caused the ride to lose its balance and collapse.
The park, which opened in 2009, has been shut down while all of the rides are inspected.
The Shenzhen government is investigating.
KSTU Fox 13 Salt Lake City
Carnival worker killed in Ferris wheel accident
(June 28, 2010) - A 41-year-old carnival worker died in a Ferris wheel accident in West Valley City, Utah.
The man was disassembling a Ferris wheel when suddenly he became pinned between a rail and the drive wheels.
Since 1985, at least 12 carnival workers have been killed while assembling or disassembling a Ferris wheel.
Carnival worker loses leg in roller coaster accident
(June 23, 2010) - At the Sonoma-Marin fair in Petaluma, California, a carnival worker was struck by a roller coaster
train after he entered a restricted area. The accident happened on a small steel roller coaster called the Wacky Worm.
The worker, who was not assigned to work at the ride at the time the accident happened, lost one of his legs below the knee.
The victim is an employee of Midway of Fun, which operates the rides at the fair. A carnival spokesman reported that the employee
"wasn't following procedure."
The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local police are investigating the incident, which is being
treated as an occupational injury.
The ride had been cleared to operate by inspectors within hours of the accident.
Boy, 9, drowns in wave pool at Quebec water park
(June 23, 2010) - At Quebec's Mont Saint-Sauveur water park, a nine-year-old boy drowned in a wave pool. He was rushed to the hospital,
where he was pronounced dead. The boy was visiting the park with classmates on a school field trip celebrating the last day of school.
Ride owner, inspector convicted in 2006 Orbiter accident
(June 22, 2010) - The owner and inspector of a faulty fairground ride have been convicted of health and safety breaches after two women
needed hospital treatment after being flung from it. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought a prosecution against both the owner
and the inspector of the Orbiter ride at Moxley Park Fairground in Bilston, West Midlands for breaching health and safety regulations.
The accident happened on May 6, 2006. A car carrying the women broke off from the ride shortly after it started. The car fell about 20 feet
to the ground and broke apart as it spun across the ground for 30 feet until it crashed into a food stand. The women were thrown out of the car
as it broke apart. They were hospitalized with serious head, neck, back, and spinal injuries. Some witnesses were treated at the scene for shock.
Thomas Denzil Jones, the ride's owner, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 of the 1998 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.
He was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs.
Fairground Inspection Services, the company tasked with carrying out safety tests on the ride, pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the
1974 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was ordered to pay £35,000 in compensatory damages.
An investigation showed the there was a failure of a weld that held the car to the ride. Despite receiving an annual inspection, which took place
just weeks before the incident, the problem was not detected.
HSE inspector Gareth Langston said: "These two young women suffered serious injuries but the results could have been much, much worse. If the ride
had been at full speed, we could have been looking at a fatal incident, with possible injuries to other passengers on the ride as well as onlookers.
"As the ride's owner, Mr Jones had a duty to ensure his ride was maintained in good working order, while Fairground Inspection Services had a duty to carry
out a thorough inspection. They both failed in their responsibilities and have left these two young women with life-long injuries."
In November 2009, Fairground Inspection Services admitted that it failed to properly examine a similar ride in Suffolk, breaching Section 3(1) of the
1974 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. It was then ordered to pay a £8,000 fine with £1,000 costs.
Extra Online
Woman killed in fall from roller coaster
(June 19, 2010) - At Terra Encantada theme park in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, a 61-year-old woman suffered
fatal head and abdominal injuries when she fell 30 feet from a steel roller coaster called Monte Aurora.
The woman was seated next to her daughter, who claimed that the safety restraint either broke or opened.
Park maintenance workers said that the ride had passed their own monthly inspections, and that there were no
mechanical deficiencies discovered or reported prior to the accident.
Civil authorities have ordered the ride and the park closed indefinitely. Police are investigating
the park's safety and maintenance procedures and deposing park personnel.
A spokesman for the park suggested that the woman may have fainted moments before she fell, but authorities
say that the ride is designed to prevent passengers from falling out of the cars, even if a passenger were
unconscious.
In 2005, a man suffered serious injuries in a 12-foot fall from the same ride.
UPDATE: Rio De Janeiro police have charged the operational director of the park and the responsible
engineer with negligent homicide. The indictments were based in part on statements made by a former
employee who had operated the ride in the past and made allegations of negligence against the park.
Also, police cited statements made by patrons, who alleged that park officials "completely abandoned"
regard for safety, and claimed that the park was in "horrible" and "deplorable"
condition. Investigators believe that the ride operator closed the safety bar properly, but the locking
mechanism was not operating correctly, and that if it had been operating correctly, it would have been
impossible for the woman to be ejected from the ride.
Woman hospitalized after bungee jump accident
(May 7, 2010) - In Hammer Springs, New Zealand, a woman slipped from a bungee cord
during a bungee jump and fell into a river. According to one report, the accident
happened when one of the woman's shoes slipped off during the second bounce. She
was hospitalized with serious injuries but was expected to recover.
The jump was operated by Thrillseekers Adventures.
Police are investigating.
North News
Roller coaster riders stranded upside down
(May 4, 2010) - At Flamingo Land theme park in North Yorkshire, England, five people were left stranded
upside down 50 feet in the air for 20 minutes when their roller coaster car grinded to a stop. Officials
believe that the car's wheels jammed because a rider's poncho got caught up in the wheel assembly.
Park workers were able to bring all of the riders to safety without anyone being injured.
The incident happened on the Mumbo Jumbo roller coaster.
WEWS ABC News, Cleveland
Two injured on Sky Diver
(April 30, 2010) - At the Geauga County Maple Festival in Chardon, Ohio,
two children suffered minor injuries after a mishap on a ride called the Sky Diver.
The caged door of their car opened while they were inside, causing them to be
thrown about the cabin.
One of the riders -- an 11-year-old girl -- told WJW Fox 8 News, Cleveland,
"[The ride operator] didn't even close [our cage]. We were screaming 'wait,' 'stop,'
but I guess he didn't hear us. He didn't close ours.
"I was just like dangling upside down there, so I pulled up and grabbed one hand
on the bar and one hand under [my friend's] arm and pulled her back up toward me."
A police officer heard the screams of witnesses and alerted the ride operator, who
lowered the girls' car slowly to the loading platform.
The Sky Diver is a 75-foot wheel whose cars are designed to spin as the wheel turns,
and riders are often upside-down during the ride.
The ride has been closed while officials investigate.
IPLF
Expedition GeForce derails; riders evacuated
(April 28, 2010) - At Holiday Park in Hassloch, Germany, an entire roller coaster
train full of passengers came to a sudden stop 65-feet in the air when one of the
cars derailed just after completing the ride's first drop. The accident happened on
Expedition GeForce, ranked as one of the top roller coasters in the world. It reaches
a maximum height of 174 feet and speeds of up to 75mph.
Firefighters used cherry pickers to evacuate all 26 riders. Some riders complained of
minor bruises, but none was seriously injured.
Daily Telegraph
Ferris wheel car falls from ride; 3 injured
(April 5, 2010) - At a carnival in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia, three teenagers
were injured when a car disengaged from a ferris wheel and plunged 10-20 feet to the ground.
The teens were taken to a hospital and treated for back injuries, cuts, and abrasions, and
were released within hours.
Authorities have launched an investigation and ordered the ride closed.
The owners of the ride could face charges.
Another inflatable goes flying; 3 children injured
(April 4, 2010) - In El Paso, Texas, a sudden gust of wind tossed an inflatable hundreds of feet
through the air, with three children inside. The children were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Man killed in attempt to jump aboard spinning ride
(April 3, 2010) - A 34-year-old man was killed when he jumped over a barrier in an attempt to board
a high-speed spinning ride called Extasy. The man was reportedly drunk at the time. No one else was
injured.
The ride operator engaged the emergency stop as soon as he realized what had happened,
but the man was already fatally injured.
Two stranded on Space Roller at Miami-Dade County Fair
(March 30, 2010) - At the Miami-Dade County Fair in Miami, Florida, two women were left stranded
nearly 100 feet in the air for more than an hour after a carnival ride called Space Roller stalled.
Ride operators were eventually able to lower the ride to the loading platform, and neither woman was
injured.
The Space Roller is manufactured by Mondial of the Netherlands; it is more commonly known as Top Scan.
(March 22, 2010) - At Pure Entertainment amusement facility in Wichita, Kansas,
a 4-year-old boy suffered a fatal head injury when he fell from an inflatable
attraction and landed on concrete. He was rushed to hospital, where he died
within hours.
Witnesses reported that the child and his parents may have been using the attraction
improperly.
