Accident Details?

[Tom]

I'm putting this on a seperate thread, so as not to taint the beautiful things people are saying about Javier. However, since I haven't seen anything on the national news, and I don't live in Florida, I was wondering if there were any details as to what happened?

I know from the reports that Javier was dressed as Pluto, and was "run over" by a float. I also heard that he was "injured" at the accident and passed away later at the hospital.

I know there have been no formal releases on this, but I was just wondering if anyone actually knows, from first-hand experience, what really happened?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not being unsentimental in the least, as I feel for him and his family and friends as much as the rest of you, I just thought maybe someone could explain in better detail what actually occurred, since the news has done poorly.

 

[mkt]

first off,

thank you for being polite and respectful about it. It is a sensitive issue, and you handled it very well.

thanks.


now for the rest, I'll post what I've been able to piece together from eyewitness acccounts and the local news once I get home tonight. I just need time to be able to piece it together in a way that makes sense.

 

[tigsmom]

The Orlando Sentinal had, what I thought, a good article with some "details". I didn't post it for fear of upsetting the CM's who knew him.

 

[Atta83]

I talked to my boyfriend last night and he said no one wanted to talk about the details of this tragic event. I am impressed though how Disney is treating the cast members that have to deal with this issue with the counseling and giving those who need it a few days leave. Also, he said that some of the guest in the park yesterday were very rude and made comments about what had happened and such, right in front of him and fellow cast members that knew Javier. This is horrific to hear and no one should ever have to talk that way about a tragic incident. Rob as I hear things as well I will help you out if you need, I learned somethings last night and out of respect will not post them till you have said something or otherwise...................

Atta

 

[wannabeBelle]

Hey Edward, Thank you for being sensitive to the feelings of the people on this forum. I didnt know Javier Cruz personally but several CM's who post on here did. Nicely done.
And thanks MKT for any info you may have on this tragedy.
Belle

 

[cherrynegra]

Originally posted by Atta83
Also, he said that some of the guest in the park yesterday were very rude and made comments about what had happened and such, right in front of him and fellow cast members that knew Javier. This is horrific to hear and no one should ever have to talk that way about a tragic incident.
Atta

You know, I'm not surprised that some guests were that rude!! There's just something about being on vacation that makes some people think it's okay to stop thinking and say stupid things. As if being on vacation gives them any right to open their traps and voice their insipid opinions. I tell you. Some people.

 

[Atta83]

Sometimes I wonder if people dont really care anymore...which is sad to say..............

Atta

 

[wdwmagic]

You can read quite a bit of info at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...feb13,1,5037250.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

The main points from that article on what happened are:

Wednesday, spokeswoman Rena Langley said. Cruz, 38, dressed as Pluto, was moving toward a gate leading to a public area near Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom.

Javier Cruz was walking between the second and third parts of a moving three-section float and became "entangled with" the third segment, causing him to lose his balance, Orange County sheriff's records show. The float rolled over Cruz, pinning him beneath the frame.

Donna-Lynne Dalton, business agent for the union that represents costumed workers, sat in on OSHA interviews with witnesses.

"It appeared the float was where it was supposed to be," said Dalton of Teamsters Local 385. "The driver and coordinators were in no way at fault. They were following proper procedure."

 

[wdwfan22]

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A worker dressed as Pluto who was run over and killed by a float during a parade at Walt Disney World got his right foot caught between two sections of the float and lost his balance, according to a sheriff's office report released Thursday.

Javier Cruz, 38, became caught between the second and third sections of a three-part float as it was about to enter the Magic Kingdom from a backstage area for the afternoon "Share a Dream Come True" parade Wednesday afternoon.

Cruz, who had worked at the resort for eight years, was facing forward when his foot got caught on the lower part of the float. When the vehicle began to move, his body was twisted around and he fell down. The third section of the vehicle ran him over and trapped him. Other Disney workers used a forklift and hydraulic lift to get the vehicle off Cruz, according to the report from the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Norman Smith drove the vehicle by electric power from the first section of the float. Smith told investigators he couldn't see the other sections but relied on the guidance of another worker on foot to tell him when to move the vehicle. He also depended on radio contact with other parade marchers.

Smith had just pulled the float onto a ramp that leads into the Magic Kingdom when the foot director signaled him to move forward. The foot director then abruptly told him to stop at the same time he received a radio transmission that he should stop, according to the report.

Smith then discovered that the float had struck Cruz. Smith had no telephone listing and couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

The float was not used in the parade on Thursday.

The sheriff's office has ruled the death accidental, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also was investigating the accident.

"We look to factors that might have contributed to an accident or something that could have been prevented," said Keith Piercy, a spokesman in OSHA's Tampa office.

from Local 6

 

[Sir Hiss527]

Thanks for news~Very sad. To me it seems like when the float turned to it's left, to go onstage. He was in Costume, and didn't see it turn, so he became wedged in under the float. Also they say that Pluto is a very diffucult character, just like all the other costumes. Very sad.

 

[Atta83]

Pluto is very hard to see in and anything is possible in that costume... Very tragic to see this happen in such a way for they are always telling you backstage to keep clear of the floats. Anything is possible....

Atta

 

[The_CEO]

I am just curious, if I may ask if he was declared dead on disney property?
Did Javier make it to the emergency room?


RIP Javier

 

[Sir Hiss527]

Originally posted by The_CEO
I am just curious, if I may ask if he was declared dead on disney property?
Did Javier make it to the emergency room?


RIP Javier

Good Question, nobody bash me on this please. I would say that he died immediatley, cause that kind of impact is pretty strong. And also being wedged between the floats, probablly crushed him. Does anybody know the cause of death?

 

[mkt]

from what I understand, he was declared dead on property... but i've heard different stories from different people

 

[antoinebusby]

Originally posted by mkt
from what I understand, he was declared dead on property... but i've heard different stories from different people

I would think that would be befitting.

You know, call me crazy or whatever....

I don't know J.C. I don't even know ANY CM's personally! However, when I was talking to my wife the other day, I was starting to tell her about the tragic accident that happened at Magic Kingdom. Before I could even start to tell her about what happened, I got really choked up and actually had to take a few minutes to myself. I mean, being a Police Officer, I see and hear about other fellow officers getting hurt/killed in the line of duty and indeed, I am affected by it. But, I am never really to the point of which I can't talk about without choking up. I guess in my line of work, you halfway leave your house knowing that you may have just kissed your wife for the last time.

I don't know, I just can't really explain what came over me as I tried to explain what happened J.C. to my wife. I guess I must be getting sensitive in my old age....

 

[miles1]

MKT, (or anyone in the know), does Disney Corp. "take care of" the family when something like this happens, or would that be too close to an admission of liability for the lawyers to allow?

I can imagine that his co-workers are all rallying around....

 

[tigsmom]

According to today's Sentinal they are paying for the funeral & flying family members in to attend the funeral. They also sent food to the family.

 

[imagineer boy]

It's really great to hear that it was noone's fault for the accident. It wasn't Javier's fault, nor the float driver's fault. Although, I have a question. I don't think that Pluto appears during the Princess segment of the parade, so what was Javier doing there? Oh well, just a question that popped into my mind.

R.I.P. Javier

 

[orlpassholder]

Originally posted by miles1
MKT, (or anyone in the know), does Disney Corp. "take care of" the family when something like this happens, or would that be too close to an admission of liability for the lawyers to allow?

I can imagine that his co-workers are all rallying around....

I would imagine in this case something would be done. Doing something for the family does not give a hint of guilt or fault.

 

[Piebald]

Originally posted by miles1
MKT, (or anyone in the know), does Disney Corp. "take care of" the family when something like this happens, or would that be too close to an admission of liability for the lawyers to allow?

I can imagine that his co-workers are all rallying around....

I'm definitely not "in the know" but on the news they interviewed his mother and his sister and they said they thought Disney was negligent and then the reporter said something along the lines of "I spoke with the family today and they are strongly thinking of suing".
What a horrible accident. I got teary eyed when I heard about it and saw his picture. Not to sound cold blooded, but deaths are so common that I'm usually somewhat apathetic about all the stuff I hear on the news, but for some reason this one was just something truly terrible. As weird as it seems, I even had a dream (more like a nightmare) of the event. Of course I won't go into details as to not offend anyone, but one thing that was very very weird/sad was... it wasn't Pluto. It was Eeyore

My thoughts and prayers go to his family, his kids, his co workers and anyone who knew him. At least he passed on doing something he seemingly loved and to look at it more optomisticly, what a way to go He's in a better place now and God Bless him for touching the hearts of so many guests over the last 8 years.