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| Alton Towers Smiler crash: Four rollercoasters shut | Alton Towers Smiler crash: Four rollercoasters shut |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Four rollercoasters at three theme parks have been shut after a crash at Alton Towers in which 16 people were injured, four seriously. | Four rollercoasters at three theme parks have been shut after a crash at Alton Towers in which 16 people were injured, four seriously. |
| The Smiler, which crashed, and Saw, a similar ride at Thorpe Park, would both be shut "for the foreseeable future", owner Merlin Entertainments said. | The Smiler, which crashed, and Saw, a similar ride at Thorpe Park, would both be shut "for the foreseeable future", owner Merlin Entertainments said. |
| Two rides at Chessington World of Adventures have also been closed until new safety protocols have been applied. | Two rides at Chessington World of Adventures have also been closed until new safety protocols have been applied. |
| Alton Towers said it planned to reopen in the next few days. | Alton Towers said it planned to reopen in the next few days. |
| Dragon's Fury and Rattlesnake have been closed at the Chessington park in Surrey, while Thorpe Park's Saw - also in Surrey - has been shut since the crash. | |
| 'Devastating experience' | |
| Two carriages crashed on the Smiler ride at the Staffordshire theme park on Tuesday, leaving some passengers trapped for four-and-a-half hours. | Two carriages crashed on the Smiler ride at the Staffordshire theme park on Tuesday, leaving some passengers trapped for four-and-a-half hours. |
| Two men, 27 and 18, a woman, 19, and a girl, 17, have suffered serious leg injuries and remain in hospital. | Two men, 27 and 18, a woman, 19, and a girl, 17, have suffered serious leg injuries and remain in hospital. |
| Chief executive of Merlin Entertainments Nick Varney said: "Whilst the investigation into the causes is continuing, we have identified a series of additional safety protocols that we are implementing immediately across our multi-car rollercoasters. | |
| "This has been a devastating experience, and we are committed to learning the lessons from it." | |
| A Chessington spokeswoman said its two rides were safe, but staff working on them needed further training before they could be reopened. | |
| She said it was hoped this would take a few days. | |
| Merlin Entertainments said it was issuing an "additional set of safety protocols and procedures that will reinforce the safe operation of our multi-car rollercoasters" which were "effective immediately". | |
| It said it had "a strong safety record at Alton Towers and across the Merlin Group". |