Florida curler coaster closed after boy falls and suffers ‘traumatic accidents’
A toddler was injured at an Orlando-area theme park after falling from a curler coaster, which has since been briefly closed, officers stated Friday.
The youngster, described as a 6-year-old, was hospitalized after he apparently fell Thursday afternoon from the Galaxy Spin experience at Fun Spot America, close to Kissimmee, hearth officers stated.
“Units arrived to find a 6-year-old with traumatic injuries under the rollercoaster track which was approximately 20 feet above,” Osceola County Fire Rescue and EMS Office stated in a press release.
An aerial view of the Galaxy Spin curler coaster experience at Fun Spot in Kissimmee, Fla., on Friday. WESH
The boy was taken to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, first responders stated. His situation was not obtainable.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is investigating the incident, division spokesperson Aaron Keller stated.
“The ride is closed pending the outcome of the investigation,” he stated.
Fun Spot stated in a press release {that a} preliminary inspection of Galaxy Spin by state officers “found it to be in normal operating condition with no mechanical issues.”
The park stated it might not reopen the experience till its management was positive such an incident won’t occur once more.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the child and their family, and we pray for a speedy recovery,” the park stated. “The safety of our guests is our number one priority.”
The web site Roller Coaster DataBase, which tracks coaster specs globally, states Galaxy Spin has “spinning cars” that may rotate because it strikes alongside the tight turns that assist outline it as a “wild mouse” type attraction.
The Galaxy Spin can Travel at 29 mph and might topic riders to a drive 2.5 instances that of gravity, in accordance with the database.
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Fun Spot America, which additionally operates parks in Orlando and Atlanta, stated youngsters have to be at the least 48 inches tall to experience Galaxy Spin or 42 inches in the event that they’re with an grownup.
Kissimmee is about 22 miles south of Orlando.
The harm comes days after an incident involving a curler coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, by which the experience appeared to unexpectedly freeze close to the highest.
Videos and images posted Monday on social media seem to point out passengers strolling down stairs from close to the highest of the 205-foot Magnum XL-200 coaster.
Cedar Point theme park in Sandusky, Ohio, on July 31, 2023.Tony Cafego / by way of Facebook
The coaster is touted on the park’s web site as a Guinness Book of World Records holder for its modern top.
Representatives for Cedar Point amusement park didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Over the Fourth of July vacation, a video shared by festival-goers in Wisconsin confirmed plenty of riders hanging from a curler coaster caught the wrong way up halfway. Last month in Rye, New York, a spinning experience wouldn’t cease till the amusement park’s employees ultimately had no alternative however to drag the plug so passengers might exit the experience.
Also this summer time, a experience at Carowinds in North Carolina was shut down after a visitor noticed a big crack that precipitated a assist beam to maneuver misplaced as a automotive glided by.
Inyoung Choi, Sarah Kaufman and Emma Li contributed.
Article supply: www.nbcnews.com
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