Great America shuts ride after Kentucky accident chops off girl's feet
Robert Selna, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, June 22, 2007
(06-22) 13:03 PDT SANTA CLARA -- The Great America theme park in Santa Clara shut down one of its thrill rides Friday after a teenage girl's feet were sliced off at the ankles on a similar ride at an amusement park in Kentucky.
Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. shut down a "tower drop" ride at Great America and four other theme parks around the nation Friday after the 13-year-old girl was badly injured on the Superman Tower of Power ride at Six Flags Kentucky Freedom in Louisville, Ky.
The Superman ride is manufactured by the same Swiss company as the rides closed at Great America and the other parks, Cedar Fair spokeswoman Stacy Frole. Frole said Cedar Fair was communicating with the manufacturer, Intamin, and was inspecting the company's rides to make sure they were safe.
"As a precaution, we've closed a similar ride at Great America," Frole said. "We will reopen the ride once we have decided that it's safe."
The Superman ride lifts passengers 177 feet straight up, then drops them nearly the same distance at speeds reaching 54 mph. It was unclear what caused the 13-year-old girl's injuries Thursday, said Wendy Goldberg, a Six Flags spokeswoman.
The girl, who has not been identified, was taken to a hospital and details of her condition were not immediately available Friday.
Six Flags closed the ride in Kentucky and three similar rides at other parks, according to company spokeswoman Wendy Goldberg.
Six Flags owns Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, formerly Marine World. No rides have been closed there; Goldberg said there are none similar to the Superman ride.
Robert Selna, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, June 22, 2007
(06-22) 13:03 PDT SANTA CLARA -- The Great America theme park in Santa Clara shut down one of its thrill rides Friday after a teenage girl's feet were sliced off at the ankles on a similar ride at an amusement park in Kentucky.
Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. shut down a "tower drop" ride at Great America and four other theme parks around the nation Friday after the 13-year-old girl was badly injured on the Superman Tower of Power ride at Six Flags Kentucky Freedom in Louisville, Ky.
The Superman ride is manufactured by the same Swiss company as the rides closed at Great America and the other parks, Cedar Fair spokeswoman Stacy Frole. Frole said Cedar Fair was communicating with the manufacturer, Intamin, and was inspecting the company's rides to make sure they were safe.
"As a precaution, we've closed a similar ride at Great America," Frole said. "We will reopen the ride once we have decided that it's safe."
The Superman ride lifts passengers 177 feet straight up, then drops them nearly the same distance at speeds reaching 54 mph. It was unclear what caused the 13-year-old girl's injuries Thursday, said Wendy Goldberg, a Six Flags spokeswoman.
The girl, who has not been identified, was taken to a hospital and details of her condition were not immediately available Friday.
Six Flags closed the ride in Kentucky and three similar rides at other parks, according to company spokeswoman Wendy Goldberg.
Six Flags owns Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, formerly Marine World. No rides have been closed there; Goldberg said there are none similar to the Superman ride.
