Current:Home > MarketsA roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it. -TradeCircle
A roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it.
View
Date:2025-04-12 02:05:05
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! (97)
Related
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Atmospheric river and potential bomb cyclone bring chaotic winter weather to East Coast
- Atmospheric river and potential bomb cyclone bring chaotic winter weather to East Coast
- Deadly chocolate factory caused by faulty gas fitting, safety board finds
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- Epic Games to give refunds after FTC says it 'tricked' Fortnite players into purchases
- KISS OF LIFE reflects on sold
- Man identifying himself as American Travis Timmerman found in Syria after being freed from prison
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Hougang murder: Victim was mum of 3, moved to Singapore to provide for family
Ranking
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- Joe Burrow’s home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro
- Wisconsin kayaker who faked his death and fled to Eastern Europe is in custody, online records show
- Dick Van Dyke credits neighbors with saving his life and home during Malibu fire
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Michael Cole, 'The Mod Squad' and 'General Hospital' actor, dies at 84
- Analysis: After Juan Soto’s megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon
- Apple, Android users on notice from FBI, CISA about texts amid 'massive espionage campaign'
Recommendation
North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
Epic Games to give refunds after FTC says it 'tricked' Fortnite players into purchases
Austin Tice's parents reveal how the family coped for the last 12 years
US inflation likely edged up last month, though not enough to deter another Fed rate cut
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
Stock market today: Asian shares retreat, tracking Wall St decline as price data disappoints
Chiquis comes from Latin pop royalty. How the regional Mexican star found her own crown
We can't get excited about 'Kraven the Hunter.' Don't blame superhero fatigue.