1 KILLED, 7 HURT IN RIDE ACCIDENT AT OHIO STATE FAIR
7 others seriously injured; Kasich orders all rides shut down.
One person died COLUMBUS — and seven were seriously injured Wednesday night at the Ohio State Fair when a ride called The Fire Ball malfunctioned.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich ordered all fair rides shut down until additional safety inspections can be completed. He said there would be an investigation into the incident, which occurred during the opening night of the fair.
“I am terribly saddened by this accident, by the loss of life and that people were injured enjoying Ohio’s fair,” Kasich said in a statement issued after the accident. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to those grieving and injured.”
Battalion Chief Steve Martin, a Columbus Fire Division spokesman, told The Columbus Dispatch all of the victims were reported to have been thrown from the ride.
Video posted on social media showed that part of the ride appeared to break apart in midair as its main beam swung to and fro. Riders could be seen being flung through the air.
A caller to the Dayton Daily News said he heard a loud boom from the ride and another said it appeared that an arm of the ride flew off.
The Dispatch reported that delays resulting from rain and flooding caused ride safety inspectors from the Ohio Department of Agriculture to work long hours prior to the fair opening at Ohio Expo Center. The fair, one of the nation’s largest, runs through Aug. 6.
“The rain slowed us down a little bit. Usually a lot of this stuff would be up a lot faster, but everyone is trying to work safely despite the uncontrollable elements,” Ron Dean, an amusement ride inspector who has been with the Ohio Department of Agriculture for 13 years, told the Dispatch.
Inspectors are responsible for checking rides before, during and after set-up. They check to see if the ride is properly constructed and review safety systems and restraint mechanisms. Plain-clothes inspectors return after the fair opens to make surprise visits to ensure height and weight requirements for riders are enforced, according to the Dispatch.