Sunday 11th April: A fatal bus crash outside Fantasy Island causes the death of four people.
Tuesday 13th April: An attraction vehicle filled with guests detours and flips onto its side at the Diggerland theme park.
Thursday 15th April: A sixteen year old girl falls to her death from "Hydro" water coaster at Oakwood park.
What the hell is going on?
Three British theme park accidents in the space of five days, resulting in five fatalities. Two more people are in critical, life-or-death conditions. Many others were injured.
There has been nothing on this scale in such a small space of time in the UK for as long as I can remember. In 2000, three deaths were recorded in fairgrounds and amusement parks around the country, but at various times around the year.
So is it actually becoming more dangerous to go to an amusement park in this country? The new season has barely begun, and many of the UK’s biggest parks have been involved in accidents and safety-related legal issues. One of the key things to understand is who is responsible for the accidents… it could be staff, visitors, or even manufacturers. It might not even have anything to do with the parks. So whom does the blame for this latest bout of incidents lie with?
FANTASY ISLAND, 04/11/04
BBC News – Tue 13
The accident occurred on the road outside the park, Sea Lane. Many people who had left the park were crossing the road, via a Pelican Crossing. As a bus approached the crossing, it failed to stop. At this time, it is unclear whether this was due to mechanical failure or driver error, but it appears that the driver, metres from the crossing guests, veered to the side of the road and crashed into a car and a crowd of people. A mother was forced underneath the bus where she remained trapped for some time. She, along with three others who suffered the impact, later died. The incident affected the staff, too. After the accident John Woodward, the chairman of the company that owns the park, made a statement. “Half my staff are off sick because they saw it happen and it was like a bomb in Iraq.”
So this clearly was not the fault of the park, right? Woodward puts the blame on illegally parked cars, saying that they restrict the view of oncoming traffic. However, the Police Inspector in charge of the investigation stated that “the parking of cars on Sea Lane made no contribution to this tragedy whatsoever." Does the park’s management believe that they somehow held cards in this incident, as it has been suggested that their allegation of illegally parked cars is just an attempt to pass the blame?
Unfortunately for the park, every report about the incidents has the words “death” and “Fantasy Island” on it. I’m sure the management doesn’t appreciate this, and many people could be worried for their safety if they were planning a trip. Whether or not the park had anything to do with the accident is irrelevant; they are still going to take some heat from the bad press.
DIGGERLAND, 04/13/04
BBC News – Wed 14
Diggerland, is, according to its website, “a unique Adventure Park revolving around the fascination that children (and some parents!) have with mechanical diggers.” I can’t say for certain myself, having never been there. It loosely merits the term of “theme park” because it offers rides in…that’s right, diggers. The accident occurred on one such ride, when the 18-passenger vehicle slipped over the side of a bend at the bottom of the steep hill and into a river. In a potential publicity campaign for the “Buckle Up…Safety First!” people, no one was injured, as they were all wearing seatbelts.
It seems to me that there are very few people at fault, here. Maybe the slope was a little too slippery. Maybe the driver was going a little too fast. Maybe there was a problem with the machinery. More likely, I think that this was just “one of those things”, an accident with many contributing factors. Although, had anyone died or suffered major injuries, this could well have turned into a finger pointing game that could have led to a major court case. As Diggerland is a very small group of parks, it is unlikely that they would have weathered such proceedings, so should think themselves lucky.
OAKWOOD PARK, 04/15/04
BBC News – Fri 16
Theme Park Insider - Apr 15
This is the one that you’ve likely heard about. While details are still sketchy, it appears that the deceased, Hayley Williams, fell from the boat on its final drop. A ten year old was treated for head injuries after it seems that Hayley’s foot hit the back of his head as she flew from the boat. She probably fell the entirety of the 100 ft drop that serves as a finale to Hydro, “Europe’s fastest and wettest water coaster”. The enquiry is still in its very early stages, obviously, and you can track the developments at Theme Park Insider’s Accident Database for this attraction.
It’s too early for we independent outsiders to make an accurate judgment, but the most feasible scenario is that someone on the boat somehow managed to unlock the safety bar that should of held Hayley in, or she had wriggled free of it. However, Oakwood is being very co-operative with the local authorities, and everyone is treating this situation with the utmost seriousness. Although the attraction has never had a serious accident before, the possibility of a ride malfunction is not out of the question.
(By the way, when the article talks about a woman who died on an Intamin ride in California three years ago, I'm assuming that it is referring to Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's. Can anyone confirm this? Nope: Perilous Plunge - Robert)
So what do you think? Is it time for the British government to step up and put stricter regulations and inspection of theme parks in place, or are these, and other theme park accidents, just something that will remain unavoidable?
And if anyone has any further information about these incidents then please add your comments here, or on the Theme Park Insider Accident Database.
I see what you're saying Robert, and I agree with you. The park shouldn't be blamed for the accident, but unfortunately, they are getting a lot of bad cop from the public, simply because the name Fantasy Island is on every article that talks about the deaths. The issue being raised by many is whether the park's management should hold some welfare for the safety of the guests when entering and leaving the park. For instance, Chessington set up a special pedestrian scheme for those walking to the park. There's no direct profit to them for doing this, but it avoids the sort of bad press that Fantasy Island is recieving.
As for government regulations, we actually have a fairly strict inspection policy created the Health and Safety Executive. Unfortunately though, there will always be people who think its funny to stand up on the drop of Splash Mountain, or get as much "airtime" as possible on rollercoasters. And when things go wrong and accidents happen, we must all suffer the consequences as rides are closed, and stricter enforcements are made. Sadly, these restrictions are often made by people who have very little experience in the theme park industry, and put unnecessary rules in place for manufacturers and operaters, thus creating a less enjoyable experience for guests.
Latest reports suggest that Hayley had undone her seatbelt in an attempt to free her jacket, which they think was caught in the strap. Quite why she decided to do so at the top of a 120ft drop though, we might never know.
It is a tragic shame whatever the accident. But parks are still one of the safest places i believe.
Although I do wonder if Hydro should have better restraints. If that is the consequence of undoing the seat belt. I must admit that I was supprised when I went on it that it did not have over-the-shoulder restraints.
I'm still not sure about how things went so tragically wrong. She got the seatbelt undone, but there is still the lap bar, right? And apparently, she went under the bar, not over it. The other thing I don't get is why the other people in the boat can't tell the police how it happened. There was someone sitting right next to her, yet they apparently have no idea what happened? Something don't seem quite right there.
The park will get enourmous bad publicity from this, regardless of whose fault it was. Mostly because the media, such as the BBC and the Sun, spend half their articles describing what a wonderful person Hayley was, and how she taught at a Sunday school, and was the best friend anyone could ever have. So naturally, in the eyes of the tabloids, this excludes her from even the tiniest possibility that she might have done something wrong. I'm not making a comment on her, but I think the press etc have been too quick to blame the park. Oakwood will undoubtedly suffer a lot of decreased attendance because of the sensationalist tripe that many people have been spurting.
It is their first major incident since opening 17 years ago.
I don't know if it is the right way to think - but after the incident in america on the similar ride is it a problem with the Intamin ride?
But i dont see how she could have slipped under the lap bar? and the person next to her should have seen something - but maybe they didnt know each other and minding their own business?
I read on a news website (cant remember which one) that ther jacket may have been caught in the restraint and she pulled to free it and slipped. But if I had a stuck jacket at the top of the ride I think i would leave it! I doubt we will ever know what actually happened. But im sure that the ride restraints will be modified.
I just feel bad for everyone involved because the family, friends, the park and the manufacturer do not want this kind of thing to happen.
Interesting article but I fear you over-emphasis the timing of the accidents, which unfortunetly and coincidently occured in the same space of time. However, the issue is an important one, and does need clarification. The safety concerns you raise in your article illustrate the peculiar state of the British Tourist Industry. Tourism in Britain, is notoriously fragmented, from the small beach vendor to the large themepark operator. This creates a problem for safety officals, since one co-ordinated answer is unlikely to reduce the number of accidents. A distinction is probably needed between those who operate a themepark with clear, coherent and sensible safety procedures and those operators who operate a less than perfect safety record. Although, I believe it is the role of the government to enforce and protect the consumer, when the private sector neglects its duty, in this specific case, I believe it is too early to judge the series of events as a failure on the part of the government. Therefore, the Health and Safety authorities should investigate this spate of accidents, publish reports into them and then perhaps, we can conclude whether or not safety procedures need to be reformed or adjusted.
Kind regards
So theres nothing wrong.
If we let our crappy government get involved, then they will just not build as many rides and theme parks by taking away planning permission.
I have a nasty feeling that I know what happened at Oakwood. I have ridden Hydro many times prior to the accident last year, and observed a worrying phenomemon. My husband and son will back me up on this one, as I have embarrassed both of them by warning them (and others around me) to check the restraint catch clip when strapping into this ride.
The problem is as follows. you can buy a large waterproof cloak to wear on Hydro, to prevent your clothes getting wet. The clips on the seat belt restraints are such, that it is possible to stuff a bunch of this plastic coat material (and, I assume, your T shirt or whatever) through the catch as you close it. Now, 9.9 times out of ten, it won't matter - the catch will hold even though the material is jammed in it. But, my guess is that this poor girl was the one person whose catch didn't hold. The material may have prevented the catch from locking, thus leading to the catch slipping undone when her weight was thrown against it. This is even more likely if she was wearing a slippery waterproof cloak at the time.
I doubt that she undid her belt - the people around her would have noticed, as you are in very close proximity, and it is the sort of ride where you chat to strangers on the way up. She would have had to elbow her neighbours as she undid the belt, and the ride up Hydro is very steep and quite scary - you are focussing on not looking down, and chatting to those around you. There are more than two people in a line of seats, so she would have had several people able to observe her if she did undo her belt. It seems most unlikely that the belt came loose by design on Hayley's part.
This possible flaw in the safety system first attracted my attention when my own son did his waterproof cloak up in the seat belt. I always check stuff like that, so I had a minor fit before the carriage even moved, making him refasten his belt, and warning my husband and the kids sitting around us, anyone who could hear me.
I am almost sure that I remember ride attendants checking for this danger - but then, I would imagine that it is an easy thing to miss.
Of course, this is just what I think may have happened, based on my own experience. Maybe they have changed the catches, or there is some other factor that I don't know about. But, as theme park visitors, I think this is an important feature we should all watch out for.
I am quite surprised to see that the outcome of the enquiry was 'inconclusive' - I was sure that this possiblity would be obvious to everyone who has ridden Hydro. As I say, I may have missed something. It is probably they have changed the restraints since the accident. I am intending to send an email to the park management on this topic, just to ease my own mind. I felt terrible when I read about the accident - I wish I had made a fuss before - but I really thought that it was something that the ride operators knew about, and were supposed to check for.
alis
Sigh. Definitely a warning to tell someone other than the spotty teen working the ride if you see a possible danger. But, as I say, I am almost positive they were checking the restraints anyway, so they must have known the dangers, and sadly overlooked this one poor girl.
alis
