Current:Home > FinanceA roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it. -ProsperityEdge
A roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it.
View
Date:2025-04-18 17:20:13
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! (967)
Related
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- 'Barbie' beats 'Oppenheimer' at the box office with a record $155 million debut
- 'Wait Wait' for July 22, 2023: Live in Portland with Damian Lillard!
- 8 mistakes to avoid if you're going out in the heat
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Good jobs Friday
- Climate Change Makes Things Harder for Unhoused Veterans
- Heat waves in Europe killed more than 61,600 people last summer, a study estimates
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- 8 mistakes to avoid if you're going out in the heat
Ranking
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- Project Runway All Stars' Rami Kashou on His Iconic Designs, Dressing Literal Royalty & More
- Activists Are Suing Texas Over Its Plan to Expand Interstate 35, Saying the Project Is Bad for Environmental Justice and the Climate
- Amazon Prime Day 2023: Fashion Deals Under $50 From Levi's, New Balance, The Drop & More
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- They're illegal. So why is it so easy to buy the disposable vapes favored by teens?
- Leaders and Activists at COP27 Say the Gender Gap in Climate Action is Being Bridged Too Slowly
- Bitcoin Mining Startup in Idaho Challenges Utility on Rates for Energy-Gobbling Data Centers
Recommendation
Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
Prepare for Nostalgia: The OG Beverly Hills, 90210 Cast Is Reuniting at 90s Con
This is Canada's worst fire season in modern history — but it's not new
Damian Lillard talks Famous Daves and a rap battle with Shaq
Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
Bitcoin Mining Startup in Idaho Challenges Utility on Rates for Energy-Gobbling Data Centers
Reddit says new accessibility tools for moderators are coming. Mods are skeptical
A Timber Mill Below Mount Shasta Gave Rise to a Historic Black Community, and Likely Sparked the Wildfire That Destroyed It