Horror as ride safety bar fails
Reporter: by KAREN DOHERTY
Date published: 19 February 2009
CHILLING ordeal (from left) Collette Casey, Fred Howarth, Danielle Howarth, Thomas Casey. Josh Kilburn, Jake Casey and Michael Todd and (right) the Miami trip ride that has been closed since the incident.
THRILLSEEKERS feared they were going to die when the safety bar on a hi-octane funfair ride failed.
A 31-year-old woman was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital by ambulance with minor back injuries after the terrifying incident on the Miami Trip at the Blackpool comes to Oldham attraction in Hollinwood.
Michael Todd (24), of Buttermere Grove, Royton, also suffered a broken rib as he pulled down the safety bar three times at heights of up to 15ft.
His 18-year-old girlfriend Danielle Howarth, of Maden Walk, Chadderton, and her brother Fred Howarth (20), of Low Green, Royton, suffered whiplash and injuries to their necks and heads where the bar hit them.
Their nephews and nieces Josh Kilburn (17), Collette Casey (16), Thomas Casey (15) and Jake Casey (11) suffered similar injuries.
No one fell from the ride which has been closed while the manufacturers and Health and Safety Executive investigate.
Around 10 to 12 people were on the Miami Trip when the incident happened at around 7.50pm on Tuesday.
Danielle said: “The safety bar came up three times. We were screaming for them to stop it. I thought I was going to die.
“We all went straight to hospital and they say we have got badly bruised necks and whiplash. Michael has a broken rib
“It’s put me off going on rides for the rest of my life.”
They braced themselves against padding between their legs and Michael added: “It started going up in the air pretty fast and the bar came flying up.
“We were just hanging on for our lives. It seemed to happen quickly but it was terrifying.”
Blackpool comes to Oldham is billed as Europe’s biggest mobile funpark. Run by Jan de Koning Fun Fairs, it is at Hollinwood Avenue from February 13 until Sunday, March 1.
Mr de Koning said the safety bar locked automatically and that the ride, which is about ten years old, had also stopped automatically.
It underwent its annual safety check a week before the fair opened, and all rides were also checked before opening.
Mr de Koning added: “The safety of our patrons is paramount. The ride has been closed and we have called in the Health and Safety Executive and the ride manufacturer.
“No one came out of the ride, I must stress that.
“We are not really sure what happened. We know a passenger hurt her back and we called an ambulance as a precaution. We checked yesterday and she has bruised her back. I think she must have slipped under the bar.
A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive said: “We are carrying out a preliminary investigation following the incident at the Blackpool comes to Oldham fairground on Tuesday evening.
“We have spoken to the ride owner and the manufacturer is on his way to investigate. The ride will remain closed until the cause of the failure has been identified.”
