Ohio State Fair: Deadly Ride Accident Blamed On ‘Excessive Corrosion’
A deadly accident at the Ohio State Fair was the result of “excessive corrosion,” according to a spokesman for the ride manufacturer. As stated in the official report, the corrosion weakened an interior beam on the Fire Ball ride and ultimately caused it to break apart and crash to the ground. The devastating incident, which occurred on July 26, left a teenager dead and seven others seriously injured.
According to state records, all of the rides passed inspection on the morning of opening day. Unfortunately, one of the rides tragically malfunctioned later that same evening.
In an interview with Good Morning America, Julian Bellinger, who witnessed the devastating incident, said riders on the Fire Ball were screaming, “slow it down, it’s too fast.” However, he did not realize the ride was broken until he saw “people fall out” of their seats.
As reported by People, Bellinger turned away to avoid seeing the casualties. Unfortunately, dozens of others witnessed the crash and saw the riders falling to the ground. A total of seven people were seriously injured as a result of the Ohio State Fair ride malfunction. An eighth victim, who was identified as 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities confirmed the Fire Ball passed numerous routine inspections, including one performed on the morning of the accident. However, some experts have suggested that the inspections are sub par.
KRM Consulting owner and ride safety expert said, “There are no national standards on how inspections should be conducted, no mechanism for sharing safety information and no uniform standards for inspector training.”
As reported by MyDayton Daily News, each state is different. However, the Ohio Department of Agriculture employs a total of eight ride inspectors. On average, those inspectors are responsible for examining and licensing more than 4,000 rides each year.
Although the number of inspectors may seem low in comparison to the number of rides inspected each year, The Ohio Department of Agriculture insists their inspection program is one of the best in the United States.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0HjyLBc6HU
On the morning of July 26, state inspectors determined the Fire Ball was safe enough to operate during the annual Ohio State Fair. However, an inspection of the wreckage revealed an interior support beam was severely corroded. The inspectors concluded that the corrosion weakened the beam and caused it to fall apart while passengers were on the 18-year-old thrill ride.
Excessive corrosion led to accident that killed teen and injured seven at Ohio State Fair, manufacturer says https://t.co/jEKIyAgAP8 pic.twitter.com/TxQdKj3Bzk
— ABC News (@ABC) August 6, 2017
A spokesperson for KMG International, which manufactured the ride, said he and his colleagues are in the process of “working with safety inspectors to develop a protocol” to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
Manufacturer says corrosion caused Ohio State Fair ride to break apart, killing 1 https://t.co/kQHLGBvzVA pic.twitter.com/mMUIjIgrd0
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) August 7, 2017
In response to the incident at the Ohio State Fair, Governor John Kasich ordered all rides to be closed until they cleared further inspection.
[Featured Image by Waraphorn Aphai/Shutterstock]
