Current:Home > StocksWill Sage Astor-A roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it. -MarketLink
Will Sage Astor-A roller coaster was shut down after a crack was found in a support beam. A customer says he spotted it.
Surpassing Quant Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-08 23:13:01
An amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, closed one of its roller coasters Friday after a crack was found on a support beam.
Carowinds shut down Fury 325, which the park's website advertises as the "tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America" that crosses into both North Carolina and South Carolina.
Video of the ride showed the crack in the beam as cars packed with riders whizzed by.
Park patron Jeremy Wagner told CBS Charlotte, N.C. affiliate WBTV he was the one who spotted the crack and took the video.
He said he was waiting for his kids to finish one last ride on the coaster when, "I look up and I see a light come through the pole."
When the next car came by, he pulled out his phone and videoed it.
Wagner told WBTV what he saw when he played it back sent a shock through his chest.
"When the car came by," he said, "I saw (the beam) move."
Posted by Jeremy Wagner on Friday, June 30, 2023
(Credit: Jeremy Wagner via Storyful)
He told The New York Times that as he was shooting the video, "My hands were shaking because I knew how quick this could be catastrophic."
Wagner told WBTV he immediately showed the video to park security to have them shut the ride but didn't get a clear answer on whether park officials would. But Wagner eventually called the fire department and learned that his video did indeed prompt the shutdown of the Fury.
"My heart was like relieved because I was just afraid ... are they gonna do the right thing? I just didn't want to see something bad happen," he remarked to WBTV.
"It takes one time, just one time" for tragedy to strike, he said.
Tiffany Collins Newton told CBS News that on June 24, she took a photo that appeared to show "the beginnings of the crack" on the roller coaster. She said she did not notice the crack until after the ride was closed on Friday and she zoomed in on her recent photos.
The park said in a statement that it shut the ride "after park personnel became aware of a crack at the top of a steel support pillar. The park's maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed. Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process.
"As part of our comprehensive safety protocols," the statement continued, "all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity."
Fury 325 first opened to the public in 2015 and cost approximately $30 million to build, according to news reports.
Carowinds didn't say how long repairs would take. The rest of the park will remain open.
State officials said they were going to inspect the ride Monday.
veryGood! (11289)
Related
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Taylor Swift bill is signed into Minnesota law, boosting protections for online ticket buyers
- 'Dreams do come true': Man wins $837K lottery prize after sister dreams he'd find gold
- Harvey Weinstein is back at NYC’s Rikers Island jail after hospital stay
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- High school students, frustrated by lack of climate education, press for change
- Travis Kelce Scores First Major Acting Role in Ryan Murphy TV Show Grotesquerie
- Did Miss USA Noelia Voigt's resignation statement contain a hidden message?
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- When is the 2024 NFL schedule release? Expected date comes in new report
Ranking
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- 32 Celebs Share Their Go-To Water Bottles: Kyle Richards, Jennifer Lopez, Shay Mitchell & More
- Kourtney Kardashian Shares Beautiful Moment Between Travis Barker and Son Rocky
- NFL schedule release 2024: Here are the best team schedule release videos in recent memory
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Justin Timberlake Reacts to Jessica Biel’s Over-the-Top Met Gala Gown
- Sphere in Las Vegas will host 2024 NHL draft, to be first televised event at venue
- Bucks' Patrick Beverley: 'I was absolutely wrong' for throwing basketball at Pacers fans
Recommendation
Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
Judges say they’ll draw new Louisiana election map if lawmakers don’t by June 3
Reggie Miller warns Knicks fans ahead of MSG return: 'The Boogeyman is coming'
Beatles movie 'Let It Be' is more than a shorter 'Get Back': 'They were different animals'
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
Storms battering the Midwest bring tornadoes, hail and strong winds
Georgia woman identified as person killed in stadium fall during Ohio State graduation
Get Your Buzzers Ready and Watch America's Got Talent's Jaw-Dropping Season 19 Trailer