Fair and amusement park operators throughout California ordered the immediate closure of a popular thrill ride after a similar attraction in Ohio broke apart suddenly, leaving one person dead and seven others injured.
The “Fireball” ride — a pendulum-type apparatus that spins and swings riders 40 feet into the air — malfunctioned and snapped at the Ohio fair’s opening day Wednesday.
Shortly after the accident, state officials in California contacted ride owners and asked them to shut down the attraction. Some operators had already done so.
By late Thursday morning, all “Fireball”-type amusement rides in California were closed voluntarily, according to the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
See the full story on LATimes.com.