A child who reportedly fell this afternoon from a roller coaster at the Idlewild and SoakZone amusement park in Ligonier was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital in a medical helicopter.
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This is the fourth amusement ride accident in five days in America, beginning with a water slide tragedy in Kansas that decapitated a 10-year-old boy, before an accident in Tennessee involving a Ferris wheel basket flipping left two girls injured and a six-year-old in critical condition in hospital.
The park is open, but the Rollo Coaster will remain closed until Ligonier police and Westmoreland County detectives complete their investigation.
To ride solo you have to be 48-inches tall and to ride with an adult you have to be 36-inches tall.
The ride was closed indefinitely after the accident, pending results of an investigation.
– Avoid “mall rides” if they are over a hard surface or if they don’t have a child restraint such as a seat belt.
Records show the Rollo Coaster was inspected by Pennsylvania State officials last week.
As reported by Fox News, the park has not confirmed how Caleb Schwab was ejected from the ride.
“There are no federal requirements for oversight or reporting as far as injuries or fatalities for this industry”, said Deborah Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. A Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokesperson said the Rollo Coaster was most recently inspected by a certified private inspector on August 6.
“The other two came right behind her”, he said.
All theme parks go to great lengths to ensure the safety of their guests, however, at the end of the day it’s up to each parents’ individual discretion to decide whether or not their children should ride roller coasters.
There have been several accidents at amusement rides across the nation this week.
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It is shocking, but the Pennsylvania incident is the third one to happened in the U.S.in only four days.
