Carnival ride collapses in California; 24 injured [View All]

How long before we hear about the lapsed inspection process that led to this? More E. coli conservatism at work.



from AP, via Yahoo!:



Carnival ride collapses in California; 24 injured
44 minutes ago


ANGELS CAMP, Calif. - A carnival ride spinning with people collapsed at a county fair Friday night, injuring all 24 people aboard.

The carnival ride, called the Yo-Yo, collapsed shortly after 6 p.m. Friday at the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, about 80 miles southeast of Sacramento.

The ride has metal arms, each with a seat at the end attached by a chain, that swing outward as the ride picks up speed. The arms rise and fall as they spin around a center pole, putting the seats horizontal to the ground.

The pole apparently collapsed, causing the arms to crash back toward the center, said Dennis Townsend, a chief in the Calaveras County unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention.

The riders — mostly children — were hurt when their seats struck the ground or other parts of the machine, he said.

Three riders were airlifted to hospitals in Modesto and Sacramento, but the extent of the injuries was not immediately known, said Sgt. Dave Seawell, a spokesman for the Calaveras County Sheriff's Department. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080517/ap_on_re_us/ride_collapse