Current:Home > reviewsA roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it. -SovereignWealth
A roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it.
View
Date:2025-04-15 19:03:06
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! (6)
Related
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Jacksonville, Florida, shooter who killed 3 people identified
- Kim Kardashian Debuts New Look as She and Kris Jenner Hang Out With Meghan Markle's Mom
- Lionel Messi will miss 'at least' three games this season with Inter Miami, coach says
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Yogi Berra was a sports dad: Three lessons we can learn from his influence
- COMIC: In the '90s I survived summers in Egypt with no AC. How would it feel now?
- Spanish soccer chief says he'll fight until the end rather than resign over unsolicited kiss
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Women working in Antarctica say they were left to fend for themselves against sexual harassers
Ranking
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- Man convicted of killing LAPD cop after 40 years in retrial
- Texans vs. Saints: How to watch Sunday's NFL preseason clash
- Many big US cities now answer mental health crisis calls with civilian teams -- not police
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Longtime voice of Nintendo's Mario character is calling it quits
- Trump's social media attacks bring warnings of potential legal consequences
- Angels' Chase Silseth taken to hospital after being hit in head by teammate's errant throw
Recommendation
Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
Maui wildfires: More than 100 people on unaccounted for list say they're OK
Prigozhin’s final months were overshadowed by questions about what the Kremlin had in store for him
Many big US cities now answer mental health crisis calls with civilian teams -- not police
Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
Biden is ‘old,’ Trump is ‘corrupt': AP-NORC poll has ominous signs for both in possible 2024 rematch
Police investigating apparent shooting at Chicago White Sox game
Zimbabwe’s opposition alleges ‘gigantic fraud’ in vote that extends the ZANU-PF party’s 43-year rule