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Alton Towers ride evacuated a week after rollercoaster crash Alton Towers ride evacuated a week after rollercoaster crash
(35 minutes later)
Parents and children were evacuated from a ride at Alton Towers after a malfunction which occurred a week after a rollercoaster crash in which five people suffered serious injuries. Parents and children were evacuated from a ride at Alton Towers after a malfunction occurred a week after a rollercoaster crash in which five people suffered serious injuries. The incident on Wednesday involved the Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure inside a zone of the park built around the CBeebies brand of television programming for young children.
The incident on Wednesday involved the Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure inside a zone of the park built around the CBeebies brand of television programming for young children. The evacuation, during which harnesses were used to clip passengers to a railing as they descended steps, was carried out after a fault caused the ride to halt and someone who was on board became agitated.
The evacuation, in which harnesses were used to clip passengers to a railing as they descended steps, was carried out after a fault caused the ride to halt and someone who was on board became agitated. The park said in a statement: “On 10 June, an incident occurred when, for unknown reasons, a guest became agitated on the Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure. In line with standard procedures, this led to the ride being evacuated. Alton Towers resort staff followed all normal processes to ensure guests were taken off the ride quickly and safely.”
The park said in a statement: “On 10 June, an incident occurred when, for unknown reasons, a guest became agitated on the Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure.
“In line with standard procedures, this led to the ride being evacuated. Alton Towers Resort staff followed all normal processes to ensure guests were taken off the ride quickly and safely.”
It is understood from sources close to the park that standard procedure would allow for the ride to be reset in circumstances where it had come to a halt. However, the decision to evacuate was taken after a passenger became agitated.It is understood from sources close to the park that standard procedure would allow for the ride to be reset in circumstances where it had come to a halt. However, the decision to evacuate was taken after a passenger became agitated.
A visitor to the park who contacted the Guardian after witnessing part of Wednesday’s incident said he sensed that something was wrong when he heard children shouting. A visitor to the park who contacted the Guardian after witnessing part of Wednesday’s incident said he sensed that something was wrong when he heard children shouting. “I glanced over and noticed a guy with safety harnesses on,” he said. “I was on another ride at that point. When I got off, they were taking people off the Octonauts ride. At that point, Alton Towers operatives with helmets and harnesses on were involved. There was a lady next to me whose son was really distressed and she was shouting up to him to stay calm and that everything would be all right.
“I glanced over and noticed a guy with safety harnesses on,” he said. “I was on another ride at that point. When I got off, they were taking people off the Octonauts ride. “My wife and I just decided to leave the park at that point with our children. They did absolutely nothing to stop the children and parents going into that part of the park to witness what was going on. On the way out, we went into the guest services bit of the park, where I asked if it was possible to speak to somebody about the incident. I was told they could do a customer feedback questionnaire. I said: ‘Are you being serious?’”
“At that point, Alton Towers operatives with helmets and harnesses on were involved. There was a lady next to me whose son was really distressed and she was shouting up to him to stay calm and that everything would be all right. A teenage girl whose left leg was amputated after last week’s rollercoaster crash was kept alive on a machine in intensive care when she was first brought to hospital, her brother said on Wednesday. Leah Washington, 17, is now standing up and making “a rapid recovery” despite undergoing surgery at the weekend to amputate her leg above the knee, her brother Luke told the BBC.
“My wife and I just decided to leave the park at that point with our children. They did absolutely nothing to stop the children and parents going into that part of the park to witness what was going on.
“On the way out, we went into the guest services bit of the park where I asked if it was possible to speak to somebody about the incident. I was told they could do a customer feedback questionnaire. I said: ‘Are you being serious?’”
A teenage girl, whose left leg was amputated after last week’s rollercoaster crash, was kept alive on a machine in intensive care when she was first brought to hospital, her brother said on Wednesday.
Leah Washington, 17, is now standing up and making “a rapid recovery” despite undergoing surgery at the weekend to amputate her leg above the knee, her brother Luke told the BBC.
The teenager also fractured her hand on the Smiler ride and her 18-year-old boyfriend, Joe Pugh, was treated for two broken knees and extensive hand injuries, after the carriage they were riding in ploughed into another, which was empty.The teenager also fractured her hand on the Smiler ride and her 18-year-old boyfriend, Joe Pugh, was treated for two broken knees and extensive hand injuries, after the carriage they were riding in ploughed into another, which was empty.
Merlin Entertainments, which owns Alton Towers, is understood to be preparing substantial payouts for the 16 victims of last Tuesday’s crash and the victims’ lawyers are due to meet Merlin’s insurers this week after the theme park operator admitted full responsibility.Merlin Entertainments, which owns Alton Towers, is understood to be preparing substantial payouts for the 16 victims of last Tuesday’s crash and the victims’ lawyers are due to meet Merlin’s insurers this week after the theme park operator admitted full responsibility.
Speaking on BBC West Midlands, her brother said: “She was in intensive care so she had machines keeping her going. It was only the day after they took her off that and she was back to breathing on her own.” Speaking on BBC West Midlands, Leah’s brother said: “She was in intensive care, so she had machines keeping her going. It was only the day after they took her off that and she was back to breathing on her own.”