This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/lancashire/8196617.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Stuck car caused Big Dipper crash | Stuck car caused Big Dipper crash |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two carriages collided at Blackpool Pleasure Beach when one of them became jammed on the rails, police have said. | Two carriages collided at Blackpool Pleasure Beach when one of them became jammed on the rails, police have said. |
| Thirty people were injured when the second carriage crashed into the back of the first car on the Big Dipper ride on Tuesday evening. | |
| Up to 21 casualties were taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital with facial, back and neck injuries. Seven are still receiving treatment. | |
| The ride is closed while the Health and Safety Executive investigates. | The ride is closed while the Health and Safety Executive investigates. |
| 'Walking wounded' | 'Walking wounded' |
| After the crash, the two cars came to rest 20ft (6m) off the ground. | After the crash, the two cars came to rest 20ft (6m) off the ground. |
| Firefighters rescued the riders using a specialist rope team, stretchers and spinal boards. | Firefighters rescued the riders using a specialist rope team, stretchers and spinal boards. |
| Mark Alderson, station manager at South Shore fire station, said: "We started to evacuate the people that were trapped at the high level. | Mark Alderson, station manager at South Shore fire station, said: "We started to evacuate the people that were trapped at the high level. |
| "These casualties were the 'walking wounded' and only had minor injuries. | "These casualties were the 'walking wounded' and only had minor injuries. |
| "They were removed from the carriages and away from the incident to a casualty clearing station. | "They were removed from the carriages and away from the incident to a casualty clearing station. |
| It may be an old ride, but that does not mean it is not safe Ian Bell, Coaster Force | |
| "The more seriously injured were stabilised in position. We then took the casualties from the ride in stretchers and down on to the ground level using specialist rope rescue equipment." | |
| Ian Bell, head of Coaster Force, a group dedicated to rollercoasters at attraction parks, said the crash was one of the worst he had seen for two years. | |
| "This is probably one of the most serious accidents I have heard about for a while. | |
| "The Big Dipper was closed two seasons ago as part of the track had to be removed to make way for the new ride, Infusion. | |
| "It may be an old ride, but that does not mean it is not safe. The older (they are) the more checks they have - it certainly won't stop me from going on it. | |
| "It's one of my favourite rides in Blackpool." | |
| Investigation under way | |
| A spokesman for Blackpool Pleasure Beach said that an investigation was under way to establish the cause of the incident. | |
| He said: "There were 32 riders in total. Seven of those are being treated in hospital this morning. | |
| "The Big Dipper will remain closed while investigations continue but all other rides at Pleasure Beach will open as usual at 1030 BST. | |
| "The Pleasure Beach team are working closely with the emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive." | |
| The Big Dipper was constructed in 1921, has a track length of 3,295ft (1013.85m) and has a maximum speed of 35mph (56kph). |