Freak accident: two killed after being thrown from park ride 'The Scream' in China
PUBLISHED : Saturday, 02 May, 2015, 12:29pm
UPDATED : Saturday, 02 May, 2015, 12:38pm
Staff Reporters
A victim lies on the ground as people around scream for help after the accident at the Zhejiang Pingyang Amusement Park. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Two people were killed and two others injured when they were thrown from a ride at an amusement park in China.
The ride, called “The Scream”, at the Zhejiang Pingyang Amusement Park, began moving before all of the passengers had buckled in, Wenzhou news website 66wz.com reported.
'The Scream' ride at the park started moving before all the passengers were buckled. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The tragedy happened in Pingyang, Zhejiang province, at around noon yesterday.
At least four people were thrown from the ride from about three metres above the ground.
Police had cordoned off the area and were investigating.
The owner of the park had been detained, Sohu reported.
It was the first reported amusement park accident in China in years.
The last major fatal amusement-park accident in the country was in June 2010, when six people died at a Shenzhen amusement park when a ride called Space Journey - similar to a carousel but spinning nearly four times as fast - snapped due to a broken bolt.
People on the Space Journey ride were typically strapped in pairs in 12 capsules, and would feel the G-force sensation of a rocket's take-off.
One June 29, the bolt snapped due to metal fatigue and sent capsule No 5 flying off. It slammed into three other capsules, killing six people, including one Hong Kong person.
Ten other people were injured.
Last year, Shanghai authorities drafted new regulations for operators of amusement facilities at public venues following two accidents involving bouncy castles.
On October 5 last year, 13 children and an adult were hurt when a bouncy castle was blown over in high winds outside a shopping centre in Yangpu district.
