Canadian sites shut Fire Ball, similar rides

The PNE’s Playland in Vancouver and K-Days in Edmonton are among Canadian sites that have shut down rides linked to the one that broke apart in Ohio.

At Playland, “The Beast” was temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution while staff conduct testing, spokeswoman Laura Ballance said.

“The Beast” is made by KMG, the same manufacturer that built the Ohio State Fair ride “Fire Ball” that failed Wednesday, killing one person and injuring seven others.

Ballance said Playland’s rides get an annual inspection from the B.C. Safety Authority, inspections from two independent ride safety experts twice each season and are inspected twice a day by Playland staff.

North American Midway Entertainment, the company that provides attractions to Edmonton’s K-Days, said in a statement that its “Fire Ball” rides have been temporarily closed.

“While North American Midway Entertainment is not the midway provider at the Ohio State Fair, due to the tragic incident there [Wednesday] evening we will keep all our Fire Ball rides closed until further notice from the manufacturer for precautionary safety measures,” the company said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Lori Cote, manager of communications for K-Days, confirmed that the ride was being shut down. “Our thoughts are with those affected by the tragic accident in Ohio.”

“As safety is our number 1 priority, we support our midway provider’s decision to close the Fire Ball ride until further notice,” she said in an email