Dutch amusement rides manufacturer KMG Europe BV (Neede, The Netherlands) says excessive corrosion was responsible for the “catastrophic failure” of an amusement park ride on July 26 at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, Ohio. One person was killed in the incident, while seven others were injured.
The deceased passenger had detached from the supporting sweep arm of the ride, the company explains, adding that the ride was 18 years old.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the manufacturer says it visited the accident scene with a team of experts, who also reviewed video footage of the incident and conducted a metallurgical inspection of the ride.
“It was determined that excessive corrosion on the interior of the gondola support beam dangerously reduced the beam's wall thickness over the years,” the company says in the statement. “This finally led to the catastrophic failure of the ride during operation.”
The company notes that it reviewed the inspection results and has worked with industry safety experts to issue a safety bulletin comprising an inspection protocol. The use of this protocol would allow properly inspected and maintained rides to safely reopen.