Which rollercoaster has the most deaths

A crowd looked on as it shot down an incline and headed into a sharp turn. Suddenly, the wheels left the track, flipping the car on its side and hurling the driver and four passengers into a flimsy iron railing 30 feet 9. Three fell to their deaths while two — a woman and her 4-year-old son — clung to the wrecked car's handrail until police were able to rescue them. Another person was injured when the driver's body struck her as she watched from the ground [source: The New York Times, July 28, ].

Witnesses claimed that the accident was caused by excessive speed as the train entered the turn. However, jurors ultimately exonerated the ride's manager on charges of homicide after determining that the accident was "unavoidable. The Mindbender accident is the only disaster on the list that happened indoors, but that doesn't make it any less tragic.

The ride, said to be the largest indoor triple-loop coaster, featured steel construction and a four-car train. It was the main attraction of the West Edmonton Mall's amusement park, Fantasyland [source: Franklin].

It was June 14, , just one day after an Alberta province safety inspector declared the ride safe. The train slid around a turn at 60 miles per hour Before it got there, though, the rear car began to fishtail. It proceeded through the first two loops but derailed as it approached the third loop, stalling at the top and sliding backward into a concrete column.

Three riders perished and at least 15 were injured, one seriously [source: UPI ]. Investigators determined that missing bolts in a wheel assembly caused the accident. The ride was subsequently closed for several months while the operators made safety improvements to the cars including the installation of anti-rollback mechanisms, seatbelts and headrests.

Additionally, the number of seats per car was reduced from 16 to 12, and the number of cars in the train was reduced from four to three. Since then, the amusement park's name has changed from Fantasyland to Galaxyland, and the Mindbender has, thankfully, been accident-free [source: Franklin]. Instead, it was mechanical failure that led to the deadliest roller coaster accident in United States history.

The train's four cars were heavily loaded as they departed the boarding area and headed up the first incline. According to investigators, that's when a piece of the brake system worked its way loose and jammed the wheels on one of the cars.

It jumped the tracks, breaking through a guardrail before plummeting 35 feet Tragically, the coaster's lift chain continued to run, pushing the other three cars over the edge with the first one.

Many riders found themselves pinned underneath the runaway train, which ultimately killed four people and injured 19 [source: Associated Press]. Business declined after the disaster, forcing Krug Park to close by In , concerned citizens launched a fundraising campaign to purchase the land and reopen it as a city park, which they did in The site now known as Gallagher Park boasts a swimming pool and baseball field — no roller coasters in sight [source: Horan ].

In Battersea Park in London, England, was the scene of what's widely considered the worst roller coaster disaster in history. The ride in question was The Big Dipper, a three-car wooden roller coaster built in as the main attraction for the park's new Fun Fair. It was hugely popular, comparable to today's iconic London Eye.

Ominously, the coaster experienced problems from the beginning. In May an empty car derailed and knocked over a protective railing, stranding passengers in the other cars. Disaster struck again in when another crash gave a woman a broken arm. But, by far, the worst accident at The Big Dipper happened in the late afternoon of May 30, That's when 31 people climbed aboard the coaster for a few minutes of heart-pounding fun.

Instead, excitement turned to terror as the lift chain prematurely released at the top of the first incline, sending the cars plummeting backward down the hill and into a turn.

The train derailed, killing five children and injuring 13 others [source: Brown ]. In the aftermath of the accident, the park manager and the coaster's engineer were charged with manslaughter, though they were cleared at trial. But the accident was the beginning of the end for the coaster and the park. The Big Dipper was closed and demolished soon after the tragedy, and the Fun Fair shut its doors in I've never been a big fan of roller coasters. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".

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Californians love roller coasters. In fact, California has nearly roller coasters in operation. This number does not include the hundreds of portable roller coasters that pass through California each year at its carnivals and fairs.

Unfortunately, amusement park accidents still happen, and these accidents often result in deaths and permanent injuries. Here are some things you should know about roller coaster accidents and a list of the ten deadliest roller coaster accidents.

Roller coasters thrill riders with their speed and power. The fastest roller coaster reaches speeds of nearly miles per hour. As a result, roller coasters are subject to an enormous amount of stress. Cars, tracks, supports, and drive mechanisms wear out over time. Many roller coasters are also exposed to extreme weather, which can cause corrosion. The U. Some accidents occur without someone being at fault. For example, accidents can happen due to weather, electrical blackouts, and other causes that are beyond control.

Guest behavior represents the most common cause of injuries on amusement park rides. Guests contribute to accidents by failing to follow park rules and refusing to abide by safety instructions. Guests may engage in negligent or deliberate behavior that poses a risk to themselves and other guests.

All of the warning signs in the queues exist for a reason. The physical stress of some amusement park rides can aggravate existing medical conditions. Known and unknown health issues make up the second most common cause of injuries on roller coasters and other rides.

Parks have a lot of responsibility. Among the tasks that park staff must perform on every ride are inspection, maintenance, repair, and operation. Amusement parks conduct routine inspections. Ride engineers walk the tracks, looking for loose bolts, debris, damaged tracks, and other safety issues. Krug Park, where the accident occurred, saw its attendance fall sharply after the incident. A roller coaster at Lakeside Amusement Park. And even more worrisome is that none of the recent accidents have seemed to spur systematic regulatory changes.

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