'Shocking' Legoland coaster death

Eric_Smith · April 30, 2007

Taken from CNN.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- A 21-year-old employee at the Legoland amusement park was killed in a roller coaster accident, police and park officials said Monday.

The woman, who was not identified, died immediately Sunday after being hit by a coaster car, police said. She had apparently jumped over a security fence to pick up a wallet that a passenger had lost near the track when the accident happened.

"We're shocked," Legoland manager Henrik Hoehrman said. Nothing like this has happened before."

The park, located next to the headquarters of toy maker Lego in Billund, 240 kilometers (150 miles) west of Copenhagen, opened as usual Monday but the roller coaster was closed as police investigated the incident.

In 2005, Lego sold its four Legoland amusement parks in Denmark, Britain, California and Germany to the U.S.-based private equity group Blackstone Capital Partners.

The Danish Legoland opened in 1968.