Current:Home > MyA roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it. -StockHorizon
A roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it.
View
Date:2025-04-18 19:17:27
An amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, closed one of its roller coasters Friday after a crack was found on a support beam.
Carowinds shut down Fury 325, which the park's website advertises as the "tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America" that crosses into both North Carolina and South Carolina.
Video of the ride showed the crack in the beam as cars packed with riders whizzed by.
Park patron Jeremy Wagner told CBS Charlotte, N.C. affiliate WBTV he was the one who spotted the crack and took the video.
He said he was waiting for his kids to finish one last ride on the coaster when, "I look up and I see a light come through the pole."
When the next car came by, he pulled out his phone and videoed it.
Wagner told WBTV what he saw when he played it back sent a shock through his chest.
"When the car came by," he said, "I saw (the beam) move."
Posted by Jeremy Wagner on Friday, June 30, 2023
(Credit: Jeremy Wagner via Storyful)
He told The New York Times that as he was shooting the video, "My hands were shaking because I knew how quick this could be catastrophic."
Wagner told WBTV he immediately showed the video to park security to have them shut the ride but didn't get a clear answer on whether park officials would. But Wagner eventually called the fire department and learned that his video did indeed prompt the shutdown of the Fury.
"My heart was like relieved because I was just afraid ... are they gonna do the right thing? I just didn't want to see something bad happen," he remarked to WBTV.
"It takes one time, just one time" for tragedy to strike, he said.
Tiffany Collins Newton told CBS News that on June 24, she took a photo that appeared to show "the beginnings of the crack" on the roller coaster. She said she did not notice the crack until after the ride was closed on Friday and she zoomed in on her recent photos.
The park said in a statement that it shut the ride "after park personnel became aware of a crack at the top of a steel support pillar. The park's maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed. Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process.
"As part of our comprehensive safety protocols," the statement continued, "all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity."
Fury 325 first opened to the public in 2015 and cost approximately $30 million to build, according to news reports.
Carowinds didn't say how long repairs would take. The rest of the park will remain open.
State officials said they were going to inspect the ride Monday.
veryGood! (55337)
Related
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- EPA head Regan defends $20B green bank: ‘I feel really good about this program’
- Pete Townshend on the return of Tommy to Broadway
- Earthquake maps show where seismic activity shook the Northeast today
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- The Cutest (and Comfiest) Festival Footwear to Wear To Coachella and Stagecoach
- The Black Keys ditch insecurities and enlist Beck, Noel Gallagher, hip-hop on new album
- 2024 men's NCAA Tournament expert picks: Predictions for Saturday's Final Four games
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Nickelodeon 'Double Dare' host Marc Summers says 'Quiet on Set' producers blindsided him
Ranking
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Inmates all abuzz after first honey harvest as beekeepers in training
- Sacha Baron Cohen, Isla Fischer to divorce after 14 years of marriage
- At least 11 Minneapolis officers disciplined amid unrest after George Floyd’s murder, reports show
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- What does a DEI ban mean on a college campus? Here's how it's affecting Texas students.
- Wintry conditions put spring on hold in California
- Emergency summit on Baltimore bridge collapse set as tensions rise over federal funding
Recommendation
Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
Taylor Swift releases five playlists framed around the stages of grief ahead of new album
Pregnant Lea Michele Cradles Bump in First Appearance Since Announcing Baby No. 2
Drake Bell Shares Why He Pleaded Guilty in Child Endangerment Case
Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
Purdue’s Zach Edey is the overwhelming choice for 2nd straight AP Player of the Year award
Sheriff says man held at problem-plagued jail in Atlanta was stabbed to death by another detainee
Breaking Down Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher's Divorce Timeline