Sad News
Girl's Feet Severed At Ky. Amusement Park
UPDATED: 10:57 am EDT June 22, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A 13-year-old girl's feet were cut off Thursday at Six Flags' Kentucky Kingdom, police confirmed to Louisville TV station WLKY.
Police said they got the call around 5 p.m. Thursday. Both of the girl's feet were detached at the ankle.
According to MetroSafe dispatch supervisors, the girl was riding the Superman Tower of Power, which is 177 feet tall and drops riders at 54 mph. According to Kentucky Kingdom, the girl was injured when the ride malfunctioned.
"We seen the cable break loose soon as it got to the top on the right-hand side," said Chris Williams, who witnessed the event.
Treva Smith said the cable snapped again as the ride descended.
"The people on the ride just came and hit the ground," Smith said.
Williams' daughter Amber said she gave up her seat to the 13-year-old and was sitting on the other side of the ride. Williams rushed toward the ride to find his daughter.
As Smith raced to find members of her group she said she made a gruesome discovery.
"When I got up there, the lady, she was just sitting there and she didn't have no legs," Smith said. "She didn't have no legs at all. She was just calm, probably in shock from everything."
Smith said she saw no blood and the girl wasn't crying but the same couldn't be said for many who witnessed the incident on the ride formerly known as the Hellevator.
"My son's over there tripping out, man," Williams said. "You want to come to a park and feel safe, you know? We've got season passes. We're not coming back for sure."
But other visitors aren't so worried.
"Every park, one in a million maybe something happens," park visitor Kenneth Lay said. "But I have no fear."
On-scene EMT personnel transported the girl to a hospital. As of 10:34 p.m. Thursday there was no word on her condition.
The ride was shut down and will remain so until a full investigation has been completed.
Girl's Feet Severed At Ky. Amusement Park
UPDATED: 10:57 am EDT June 22, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A 13-year-old girl's feet were cut off Thursday at Six Flags' Kentucky Kingdom, police confirmed to Louisville TV station WLKY.
Police said they got the call around 5 p.m. Thursday. Both of the girl's feet were detached at the ankle.
According to MetroSafe dispatch supervisors, the girl was riding the Superman Tower of Power, which is 177 feet tall and drops riders at 54 mph. According to Kentucky Kingdom, the girl was injured when the ride malfunctioned.
"We seen the cable break loose soon as it got to the top on the right-hand side," said Chris Williams, who witnessed the event.
Treva Smith said the cable snapped again as the ride descended.
"The people on the ride just came and hit the ground," Smith said.
Williams' daughter Amber said she gave up her seat to the 13-year-old and was sitting on the other side of the ride. Williams rushed toward the ride to find his daughter.
As Smith raced to find members of her group she said she made a gruesome discovery.
"When I got up there, the lady, she was just sitting there and she didn't have no legs," Smith said. "She didn't have no legs at all. She was just calm, probably in shock from everything."
Smith said she saw no blood and the girl wasn't crying but the same couldn't be said for many who witnessed the incident on the ride formerly known as the Hellevator.
"My son's over there tripping out, man," Williams said. "You want to come to a park and feel safe, you know? We've got season passes. We're not coming back for sure."
But other visitors aren't so worried.
"Every park, one in a million maybe something happens," park visitor Kenneth Lay said. "But I have no fear."
On-scene EMT personnel transported the girl to a hospital. As of 10:34 p.m. Thursday there was no word on her condition.
The ride was shut down and will remain so until a full investigation has been completed.
I hope they could save her feet. That is just so horrifying. I live near Kings Island, and I question the safety of rides in any park other than Disney. I wonder, are the rides just not up to the same quality or is it a maintenance/inspection issue? I know Disney has had a few accidents, but not as many as the Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks.