Accident report alleges 14-year-old’s seat was locked when he fell to his death from Florida amusement park ride
The safety harness and seat of the 14-year-old teen who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in Florida last week were locked at the end of the ride, according to the accident report USA TODAY reported.
Tyre Sampson fell to his death while he was riding the Orlando FreeFall last Thursday at ICON Park, a ride billed as “the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower.” FreeFall opened in the center of Orlando’s Entertainment District late 2021, 30 riders rise to the top, tilt forward and plunge nearly 400 feet at speeds reaching over 75 mph, according to a January release from the park. Tyre fell when the magnets engaged to slow the ride as passengers came down the tower, according to the report released by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The agency and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office are now investigating the death.
The safety harness on the teen’s seat was “still in a down and locked position when the ride stopped,” according to the report, which lists three employees as witnesses.
“Words cannot express the sorrow felt by the tragic loss of such a young man, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried said in a statement USA Today reported.
A person riding the drop tower is heard questioning its restraints before it took off in a video clip according to WESH 2 News.
The ride has since been closed indefinitely according to the company. ICON Park released a statement last week calling for the SlingShot Group to shut down Orlando FreeFall and another ride, the Orlando SlingShot, “until the attractions are proven to be safe by authorities.”
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