tsmcdon Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 2 seriously hurt on carnival ride The accident occurred at an annual festival in Hinckley on a ride called the Zipper. Two teenage girls fell from the ride, which rises about 25 feet into the air at its peak. Mary Lynn Smith, Star Tribune Two 14-year-old girls were seriously injured Saturday evening when they fell from an amusement park ride at the annual Corn & Clover Carnival in Hinckley. One girl was taken by air ambulance to St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, where her condition wasn't being released, and the other girl was airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where she was listed in critical condition. The girls were riding the Zipper, which features individual cars that each rotate along a boom-like frame that spins like a Ferris wheel. The ride along the frame isn't very fast, but when the cars get to the edge and change direction, a sudden burst of speed almost always flips the cars over. Details about the accident and the girls' names weren't available from the Pine County Sheriff's Office. The ride was immediately closed, but the two-day carnival remained open until its scheduled closing on Saturday night. Hinckley Mayor Tom Lymburner said he was told the girls were probably near the peak of the ride, which rises about 25 feet in the air, and were on their way back down. "It's at the point where the car spins and it pitched them out," Lymburner said. "It makes you kind of ill in your stomach," he said. "Right away you think about the families -- our hearts go out to them. Then you start thinking about your kids because they're riding those rides." Lymburner said. The carnival company, Magel Carnival Midways, has run the annual carnival for several years, Lymburner said. "There have been no problems," he said. "We never had anything like this happen." The company is cooperating with the Sheriff's Office to try to determine what happened, Lymburner said. In the late 1970s, the U.S. government warned against riding the Zipper after four deaths occurred when the doors opened and the riders fell out. The accidents reportedly were caused by a design flaw in the doors. Since then, each Zipper car is closed using a latch and a large pin. In May, 15 riders on Valleyfair's Wild Thing were injured when the last six cars broke away and lurched to a tilt as the roller coaster slowed to a stop. The Hinckley summer festival, which is in its 75th year, is a major draw for those in the area and includes carnival rides, food, the Miss Hinckley pageant and a two-hour parade. Hinckley, with a population of about 1,300 people, is about 80 miles north of the Twin Cities along Interstate Hwy. 35. "Right now, everyone's praying for the girls and their families," Lymburner said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I love how the reporter has to bring up the Valleyfair incident again. Got this from www.ride-extravaganza.com as shown on the picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwmoss Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Carnival Rides. UGHHHHHHHH They look like each and every one of them are going to fall apart. Am I alone on this point? I simply don't trust Carnival Rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 I will ride carnival rides, but I tell you I am scared to death about Zipper's they just don't look safe to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpartanTS Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Zipper = Death Trap Most fairs/carnivals that i've been to that had a Zipper looked old, rusty, and dangerous. That's one credit I won't be getting, EVAAR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
methylene Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 I will ride carnival rides, but I tell you I am scared to death about Zipper's they just don't look safe to me... I agree with you: carnival rides and Six Flags restrooms are perhaps two of the scariest, most life-endangering experiences one can self-inflict. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okinawaboy11 Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Am I the ONLY one that loves the Zipper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfie Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 ^ Probably. Carnival rides... you can just never trust them. Sure, I ride them, but only at my Parish festival I agree with you: carnival rides and Six Flags restrooms are perhaps two of the scariest, most life-endangering experiences one can self-inflict Only at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imbordisux Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Am I the ONLY one that loves the Zipper? Nope. I, too, heart Zippers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
methylene Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Am I the ONLY one that loves the Zipper? Nope. I've found the zipper to be far more economical and practical than buttons or velcro. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UberBeavis Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Carnies are far scarier than any ride they might operate. The Zipper is an awesome ride - provided the door stays closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterguy618 Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Zipper = Death Trap Most fairs/carnivals that i've been to that had a Zipper looked old, rusty, and dangerous. That's one credit I won't be getting, EVAAR! It isnt a credit anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrillrider15 Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Wow. I hate it when this happens. It's sad. Especially when it happens in a place not too far away from you (I live sixty minutes from Hinckley). And it's also same here. I will ride carnival rides, but I don't trust that they're that safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goleafsgo Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 i hate carnival rides. i never go on any of the bigger ones, mainly because i dont want to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benzo41190 Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 I ride carnival rides at smaller fairs, but I don't feel safe. But if its at a county or state fair, then I feel more secure. The thing about State And County fairs is that, there are more people attending so safety is a major issue. At the Wisconsin State Fair, they inspect all rides every morning with the amusement advisor for the fair. I have seen them test, and they test everything! They also read the ride manual and and check everything over, and they take test runs....every morning! when was the last time you saw that at your local carnival? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECZenith Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 It's funny (not the situation) but I was just at a carnival with some people from work (New Bedford, MA) and they had a zipper running. Everyone was saying how dangerous they were and I assured them they were completely safe and we'd ride it the following day. They're never gonna let me live this down. I used to really love the zipper that came through my hometown until one year my head just slammed into the bar (which was padded!) but still hurt, the bar that goes right in front of your forehead. I wish they would make a modern version of the ride, maybe with suspended seats and OTSRs to eliminate the "cage" situation. Sean ::every year I want to ride them less:: Costa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Sabo Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Do any of us feel "safe" riding the zipper, but ride anyway? I do, but I really look at how well it is maintained before riding it. Suprisingly, the carnivals that I generally go to (including all of the ones that happen here in Hawaii) have the longest lines! Some it is due to slow ride capacity, but alot of it is popularity also (even beating out some of our traveling coasters). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeezus Juice Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 That's the thing, the ride itself is totally awesome but I don't ride because I have zero confidence in the restraint. Plus the fact that every zipper out there is older than I am dosen't help. I'd like to see a modern ride company take a look at the concept and do it in a way that is safe, and possibly 200 feet tall...on top of the strat...where's Stan Checketts?! Oh, and it sucks about the girls, but seriously..."the annual Corn & Clover Carnival in Hinckley." How Green Acres does that sound, LOL! "Hey Earl, remember when them youngin's was thrown from that Zipper at the Corn 'n Clover in Hinkley. She-oot, that was a right plump pickle!" -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollerholden Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Am I the ONLY one that loves the Zipper? I love them too. I'm not going to tell my sister about this accident because she's my riding partner on the Zipper, and if she found out about this she'll never ride it again. I seem to remember reading that this happened before, I may be wrong though. It doesn't surprise me this happened since the only thing holding you into the ride is on the door that opens and closes. I still plan on riding the Zipper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easytoremember Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Oh, and it sucks about the girls, but seriously..."the annual Corn & Clover Carnival in Hinckley." How Green Acres does that sound, LOL! "Hey Earl, remember when them youngin's was thrown from that Zipper at the Corn 'n Clover in Hinkley. She-oot, that was a right plump pickle!" -Don LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbuzz36763 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 too bad for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete4winds Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Am I the ONLY one that loves the Zipper?I totally love the Zipper! Except, there was that one time years ago... I was at a carnival with some friends, and this one chick (some friend of a friend..I didn't know her) jumped on the Zipper with me...she had this gigantic pocketbook that she took on with her. At one point the car we were in started flipping kinda slowly and on one of the flips it almost slowed to a stop. The pocketbook, having been on the floor of the car, removed itself from said floor and drilled me square in the face. One split lip and one chipped tooth later, I made every effort to avoid Megapurse Lady for the rest of our time there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haiderodes Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 The Zipper has always been a love hate thing for me. As a little kid I was terrified by it, but loved the watch it. There's nothing like it! As I got a little older...like 11 or 12 I was brave enough to take it on with my sister (who as 8 or 9). Now I would never think of getting on it, but I still think its a great piece of machinery to watch. For those who have ridden in, you have to admit it does provide a pretty unique and out of control feeling especially when you flip fowards against the direction of the main boom. Its like a strange mixture of positive and negative G's its crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwmoss Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Sometimes I don't wonder if some of these Fair/Carnival places just don't stay fixed amusement. The county ought to take a hint that rides attract people. Food Attract People. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now