Two girls were injured after falling from the Ferris wheel at the fairgrounds in Louisiana Louisiana
Two girls were injured after falling from a Ferris wheel at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday, the latest in a series of similar incidents that call into question the safety of carnival rides and amusement parks.
The couple was thrown to the ground after the bucket they were sitting in tipped over during a Harvest Festival event in New Roads, 30 miles northwest of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital.
Video of the aftermath of the incident Posted on Facebook It shows the cabin closed at about a 90-degree angle to the ground, and police tending to a female at the base of the ride.
Both girls were under the age of 13 and were taken by helicopter to Baton Rouge Children’s Hospital, said Rene Thibodeau, the mayor of Pointe-Coupee Parish. Their condition was unknown Monday, but they are not believed to be suffering from life-threatening injuries.
Madison Fields is an eyewitness He told WBRZ News in Louisiana One of the girls appeared to have serious facial injuries.
“It stuck to the wires, then it tilted and the girls fell,” she said. “I heard like a body, like something falling, I heard a strong explosion. They were two girls, and one of the girls fell on her face.”
The Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the case and has allowed other rides at the exhibit to reopen after the inspection. Thibodeau He told NBC News The video clip of the roller coaster indicates a possible mechanical failure.
Also on Saturday, riders of the Mamba, the tallest roller coaster at Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri, said they had to hold on to a little girl. Whose seat belt was unlocked To prevent it from falling. The authorities are investigating.
In September, Several people were injured When a cable broke on a ride called “The Cloud” during a high school carnival in Los Angeles, sending two of its rides crashing to the ground.
There have also been recent deaths on theme park rides. In September, a 32-year-old disabled man became unresponsive and died during the Stardust Racers ride at Universal’s Epic Universe Resort.
A preliminary investigation by the Florida Department of Consumer Services indicates that the ride was operating properly, although the family of victim Kevin Rodriguez Zavala insists that he died of blunt force trauma after He hit his head repeatedly On a metal bar while riding after he lost consciousness.
Last December, a jury awarded $310 million to the family of a 14-year-old boy who died after a free-fall ride at Orlando’s Icon Park was dismantled in March 2022. The incident prompted Florida lawmakers to pass the Sampson Picture Act to strengthen safety requirements at theme park attractions.