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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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:

• Girl Injured on Amusement Ride

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, 10, Ejected From Ride at South Carolina State Fair
• Woman, 24, Falls Out of Roller Coaster

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

• Brother and Sister Break Arms on Butler Amusement Ride
• Child, 6, Killed After Fall From Ferris Wheel
• 35-year-old man and  32-year old Woman Ejected From Butler Amusement Ride (PDF)

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.

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

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

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:

• Texas Man Falls From Amusement Ride

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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:

• Man, 43, Dead After Drowning at Playland Amusement Park
• Amusement Safety Bills Offered in New York

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.

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:

• Disney Accidents

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.'

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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