The nightmare isn’t over! Roughly one week after the devastating Ohio State Fair accident, the cause of The Fireball’s malfunction was revealed by investigators — and it’s equally as troubling!
What happened at the Ohio State Fair on July 26 was horrifying enough to make even the biggest adrenaline junkies gasp in terror. A large portion of the The Fireball attraction blew off mid-ride, leading to one person’s death and multiple severe injuries. An investigation immediately took place, and now, the cause of malfunction has been revealed. The accident was due to the ride’s “excessive corrosion, ” according to investigators who spoke with Fox News on Aug. 6. That’s basically a fancy way of saying that The Fireball’s metal parts were covered in rust…likely because maintenance was overlooked! Having rust is a totally avoidable scenario, as long as it’s looked at properly and routinely.
The Fireball, created by Dutch manufacturer KMG, is said to be 18-years old. We don’ t even want to think about its latest maintenance check. In a response letter from the company, Product Manager Albert Koon said the ride malfunctioned from “excessive corrosion on the interior of the gondola support beam, ” which in turn “dangerously reduced the beam’s wall thickness over the years. This finally led to the catastrophic failure of the ride during operation.” Our hearts are officially in our stomach, and we’ re never riding a rollercoaster ever again.
The Fireball accident caused total panic at the State Fair, and was heartbreaking enough for the Ohio governor to speak up! “I am terribly saddened by this accident, the loss of life and that people were injured enjoying Ohio’s fair, ” he said in a statement to Fox News hours later. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to those grieving and injured. I have ordered a full investigations into this incident and have ordered that all fair rides be shut down until additional safety inspections can be completed.” Unfortunately, his order was too late for 18-year old Tyler Jarrell, a recently enlisted Marine, who died that day.
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