One Dead on Chinese Top Spin Accident

[gerstlaueringvar]

This accident happened at a city called Mianchi, it's a typical city park that owns a few rides. The top spin's restraint opened during the ride cycle and the rider fell off the ride to his death. Here's a video of what happened at the park, might cause some discomfort.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOOeWl269sU

Video1.mp4

Edited February 24, 2016 by gerstlaueringvar

[chickenbowl]

Holy crap...

 

I'm shocked they caught this on film. What a tragedy. Please China, put up some safety measures, this is horrendous.

[KBrylczyk]

Yep, still no desire to go to China.

 

Can't wait for that time when the pirates finally eat the tourists in Shangahi Disneyland, just like Ian Malcolm predicted.

[KarlaKoaster]

I don't really fancy watching the video, but I assume it was some kind of rip-off of a Fabbri type ride rather than a legit Huss version? Accidents like this are horrible, particularly if people saw it. Fortunately it just reminds us how rare accidents like this are, even in China.

[coasterbill]

Is there a news story to go along with this or just a video? I wasn't able to find anything.

[Rai Fox]

It's horrific that this kind of thing can happen. There rides have so many redundant systems and failsafes...maintenance has to be nonexistent, and let so much go wrong, for something like this to happen. Either that or, as someone else mentioned, it was a rip-off without the safety measures the ride should have had. Either way, greed and laziness over any sort of care for human life. Terrible...

[Pirate]

And that is why you always buy from an actually decent company (I'm thinking this was from some random knockoff company).

[SFOG1991]

That's terrible. I'm surprised this was all caught on video as well.

 

I am actually amazed this doesn't happen more often with knockoff Chinese rides. Hopefully it won't become a more common occurrence as the rides get older and possibly go without proper maintenance.

[Gutterflower]

Is there a news story to go along with this or just a video? I wasn't able to find anything.

 

Yup there's a few small articles. Nothing substantial though

 

http://m.smxe.cn/view-4571.shtml

[boldikus]

^ Whoa @ that other video!

 

Don't wait for the EMT's, just carry the dead guy out on your back. Nothing to see here.

[Ape]

That's horrible to actually see someone coming out like that. I am at a loss for words.

[gromithere]

Is there a news story to go along with this or just a video? I wasn't able to find anything.

 

Here's one.

[canadianparkfan]

That's horrible to actually see someone coming out like that. I am at a loss for words.

My thoughts exactly.

 

Horrible news. My thoughts are with the family/friends of the victim.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Somethings in life of wish I could un-see. That video is one of them. I feel bad for the victim and his family.

 

I'll stick with US theme parks.

[gisco]

Witnesses say the 19-year-old, who has only been identified by his surname, was seen repeatedly "standing" on his seat as the ride swung back and forth.

 

Interesting comment from the article. Maybe there was no problem with the ride after all and the guy wins the Darwin Award.

[robbalvey]

Witnesses say the 19-year-old, who has only been identified by his surname, was seen repeatedly "standing" on his seat as the ride swung back and forth.

 

Interesting comment from the article. Maybe there was no problem with the ride after all and the guy wins the Darwin Award.

As sketchy as rides in China can be, this actually sounds a lot more plausible to me.

[Philrad71]

A 19 year old is considered a middle-aged man?

 

The article could be due to translation barriers, but the information in the links don't seem to add up.

 

Are we sure that someone from MSN or CNN didn't report this?

[SFOG1991]

I think that is a typo as it is awfully similar to the quote from this article the Mirror posted about another flat ride fatality just a few days ago: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/theme-park-horror-teen-crushed-7392575

 

In addition, it's not really possible to stand up on a top scan from my experience on the models that operate here in the U.S.

[Jew]

^The models that operate in the U.S. are from legitimate manufacturers with tons of regulation. Anything is possible with a chinese knock off..

[SFOG1991]

^I agree, but as I said, the mention of the rider standing appears to be a typo copied over from another article Mirror posted on a similar subject. I am just saying it seems particularly difficult to stand on a top scan of any kind, unless onlookers mistook the fact that his restraint had come lose with the idea that he was intentionally standing in the moments before he fell.

[Philrad71]

I think that is a typo as it is awfully similar to the quote from this article the Mirror posted about another flat ride fatality just a few days ago: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/theme-park-horror-teen-crushed-7392575

 

In addition, it's not really possible to stand up on a top scan from my experience on the models that operate here in the U.S.

 

These article links are worse than trying to open Weather Channel or MSN anymore...horrible. I waited several minutes for it to load all of it's spam, garbage banner ads & videos before I just gave up.

 

I'll just be lazy and wait for someone to copy/paste a legit article with actual facts (if there is one) on here before I comment further.

[The Angry Darren Mullins]

If the shoulder harness was put down and locked, there is no way the man could have been standing. This is likely a lost in translation moment. Restraints, if used properly, prevent riders from standing. The only way he could be standing is if the ride op didn't lock the restraint or his particular restraint was faulty. In this case, the management of the park would have some degree of fault for the accident. Safety is a joint effort between park guests and park employees (from the management to the ride ops). The only way for a rider to be standing is for the ride op to leave the restraint unlocked or for the restraint to fail due to a lack of maintaining the ride. In short, if the restraint is working or used properly, it is impossible for a rider to stand. If ride op fails to push a restraint down far enough and a rider stands, both the park and rider are equally at fault. Let's wait and see what comes out in this before we make any judgement. A locked shoulder harness makes it impossible to stand unless the rider is of a size that enables them to slip out from under it. Even a simple lap bar that is pushed all the way down on a coaster will prevent a rider from standing. The rider may be innocent and the ride may have had some problem.

[KarlaKoaster]

If the shoulder harness was put down and locked, there is no way the man could have been standing. This is likely a lost in translation moment. Restraints, if used properly, prevent riders from standing. The only way he could be standing is if the ride op didn't lock the restraint or his particular restraint was faulty. In this case, the management of the park would have some degree of fault for the accident. Safety is a joint effort between park guests and park employees (from the management to the ride ops). The only way for a rider to be standing is for the ride op to leave the restraint unlocked or for the restraint to fail due to a lack of maintaining the ride. In short, if the restraint is working or used properly, it is impossible for a rider to stand. If ride op fails to push a restraint down far enough and a rider stands, both the park and rider are equally at fault. Let's wait and see what comes out in this before we make any judgement. A locked shoulder harness makes it impossible to stand unless the rider is of a size that enables them to slip out from under it. Even a simple lap bar that is pushed all the way down on a coaster will prevent a rider from standing. The rider may be innocent and the ride may have had some problem.

Sorry if this sounds rude, it's not meant to be, but you've asked people not to make a judgement, but only after making a judgement yourself. People have managed to wriggle out of overhead restraints before and died, so we can't really rule anything out. Like you say, maybe it's a lost in translation thing, but the only thing we really know is that we don't really know anything. Anything else is just speculation at the moment.

[Jcoaster]

Yep, still no desire to go to China.

 

Can't wait for that time when the pirates finally eat the tourists in Shangahi Disneyland, just like Ian Malcolm predicted.

 

"Life finds a Way."

[The Angry Darren Mullins]

I am not being rude, I am just saying not to make a judgement based on what may be faulty info (these translators are not very reliable). This accident could have been:

 

1. rider error

2. ride op error due to carelessness or improper training

3. lack of maintenance

4. design flaw in the restrain system

5. other

 

There are many small parks and thousands of rides here in China. Accidents are still rare here even if many of these rides are knockoffs. In regards to the restraints, shoulder harnesses are very effective at keeping people in and only small or over-sized riders could be come out of the seat because these restraints were designed for people of average body size. Once, at a park in Japan, a PTC wooden coaster car was on display. The car had been removed from the coaster and I decided to test the ratcheting restraint. It had individual restraints. I pulled it down (it was locked by a Japanese park employee) and then I tried to wiggle free. I simply couldn't. This says a lot about PTC's design. B&M, Arrow and Vekoma coaters use shoulder harnesses and many of them have seat belts that lock to the harness. I have seen these Top Spin copies (and on coaters) in China and they have seat belts as well that are sometimes pilled over the restraint to hold the restraint down.