Girl's Feet Cut Off At Six Flags

[vex]

Girl's Feet Cut Off At Six Flags


TheLouisvilleChannel.com
7:13 p.m. EDT June 21, 2007

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Police confirmed that a girl's feet have been cut off at Six Flags' Kentucky Kingdom. Officials said they got the call around 5 p.m. Thursday and both her feet were detached at the ankle.
According to MetroSafe dispatch supervisors, the girl was riding the Superman Tower of Power, which is 177 feet tall and drops riders at 54 miles per hour. According to Kentucky Kingdom, the girl was injured when the ride malfunctioned. Dispatchers said she was taken to University Hospital.



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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19359307/


:eek:

[DaddyTorgo]

OMG. That's INSANE

[molson]

I'm trying to understand exactly how this could happen and can't come up with anything.

[QuikSand]

I'm trying to understand exactly how this could happen and can't come up with anything.

Same here. Awful, though.

[QuikSand]

Shame ol' Freck didn't hear about this option back in the day:

http://web.archive.org/web/20011015113103/http://www.cutoffmyfeet.com/main.html

Freck's New Feet (Wayback Machine)
When it existed, at http://www.cutoffmyfeet.com, this was a twisted classic. Paul Morgan (a.k.a. 'Freck') claimed that on January 5, 2002 he was going to amputate his legs, and that the amputation would be webcast live to a paying audience. He also said that the amputation would be for medical reasons (his legs were paralyzed) and the insurance company wouldn't pay for them to be removed (thus the need to raise money for the operation). I don't think the event ever occurred. The date when it was supposed to occur kept moving forwards in time. Now the site has disappeared altogether (perhaps along with Freck's legs?).

[bhlloy]

We were at Magic Mountain in CA this past weekend, and couldn't believe the number of young (i.e. at least under 21) kids that were operating the rides without any older supervision. One ride in particular the three girls were so busy chatting they barely managed to check people's safety harnesses and definitely weren't paying any attention to the rides console.

Probably not the case here (at least I hope not) but it definitely bothered us at the time.

[vex]

I'm trying to understand exactly how this could happen and can't come up with anything.

Me and my wife have been thinking the same thing. No clue.

[molson]

I read this somewhere else

"Witnesses claim that they saw a cable from the ride hit the child while the passengers were on their way down during Superman - Tower of Powers free fall."

Though I still don't get how a cable severs someone's feet. And it was a 13-year-old girl.

[sterlingice]

I sense we're going to find out that she wasn't sitting in the ride as she was supposed to. Just like how the decapitation incidents are from people out of their seats and the like.

SI

[vex]

Girl's feet severed on thrill ride http://www.whas11.com/bi/images/video_icon.gif


07:09 PM EDT on Thursday, June 21, 2007


http://www.whas11.com/bios/images/rectorphoto2.jpg (http://www.whas11.com/bios/rector.html)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A young girl was injured on a thrill ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.
Louisville Metro Police Dispatch tells us that both of the girl’s feet were severed in this accident.
“I saw a lot of kids go up… I seen them going up then it came down and the cable came back around and hit a lot of people… They said the cable wrapped around somebody’s legs and ripped them off,” said one witness.
Web story produced by Jay Ditzer.

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom released the following statement at around 5:30 Thursday evening:
“At approximately 4:45 p.m. a ride malfunctioned in the park, and one person was injured. EMT’s responded immediately, and she has been transported to a hospital to assess the extent of her injuries. We are investigating the situation in order to determine all the facts.”

- - - - -
From The Associated Press:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- One person was injured during a ride at a popular amusement park on Thursday, a park official said.

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The accident happened around 4:45 p.m. on the Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, said Six Flags spokeswoman Wendy Goldberg.
The extent of the person’s injury was unknown, Goldberg said.
The ride takes passengers straight up 177 feet before a free-fall of 154 feet, reaching a speed of 54 mph.
It is unclear at what point during the ride the person was injured, Goldberg said. The person was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Louisville EMS said it could not comment on the extent of the person’s injuries due to privacy laws.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

http://www.whas11.com/topstories/stories/062107whasmjdTopTowerOfPower.26e52d52.html

[molson]

I sense we're going to find out that she wasn't sitting in the ride as she was supposed to. Just like how the decapitation incidents are from people out of their seats and the like.

SI

Could be, though Kentucky Kingdom came right out and said the ride malfunctioned, which is a pretty heavy statement considering the legal ramifications.

[cthomer5000]

Though I still don't get how a cable severs someone's feet. And it was a 13-year-old girl.

Speed + basically anything is enought to sever something.

[moriarty]

Yeah, a solid cable snapping from a position of full tension could easily slice through a human body. Sad ... but honestly probably luck that's the worst thing that happened.

[molson]

I was on a merry-go-round as a kid and one of the horses just broke off it's pole and some girl had her head busted open. That freaked me out for a while. There's just something about amusement park accidents which is somehow particularly horrifying.

[Karlifornia]

So, how much will two feet be worth as far as a law suit goes? I'd imagine a hefty chunk o' change.

[molson]

So, how much will two feet be worth as far as a law suit goes? I'd imagine a hefty chunk o' change.

Probably enough that it would actually be a difficult decision whether I want my feet or the cash.

[DaddyTorgo]

I had a bike-brake cable slice into my leg all the way down to the fat around the bone, so I can easily see this happening with a legit cable.

[sabotai]

Probably enough that it would actually be a difficult decision whether I want my feet or the cash.

Prosthetics have come a long way. Give me the cash.

[MizzouRah]

Hmmm.. love the ride at the Six Flags here in Missouri, not too sure I want to ride it again though.. wow.

I'm thinking it was one of the cables that are used to pull the carts up the ride.

[Karlifornia]

Is it too early for a joke?

[Fonzie]

Terrible. Just terrible.

[Fonzie]

dola-

That picture of Rebecca Rector, coupled with this story, is very unsettling.

[Ksyrup]

Just awful.

Guess I'm glad we decided on the 2 hour drive to Kings Island instead of the 45 minute drive to KY Kingdom a couple of weeks ago.

[bulletsponge]

So, how much will two feet be worth as far as a law suit goes? I'd imagine a hefty chunk o' change.

id guess an arm and a leg



sorry i just had to

[Karlifornia]

id guess an arm and a leg



sorry i just had to

Mine was gonna be:

Q: How long will the list of charges against Six Flags be?

A: About two feet

[bulletsponge]

yours is better

[TargetPractice6]

Just awful.

Guess I'm glad we decided on the 2 hour drive to Kings Island instead of the 45 minute drive to KY Kingdom a couple of weeks ago.Always a good decision. Kentucky Kingdom is a ridiculous excuse for an amusement park.

[Ksyrup]

We weren't impressed with the kids' rides selections compared to Kings Island. That's what the biggest factor was. We've never been to KK, and I think it'll be a little while longer before we make that trip now.

[Mustang]

'Williams’ daughter Amber said she gave up her seat to the 13-year-old and was sitting on the other side of the ride. Williams rushed toward the ride to find his daughter. As Smith raced to find members of her group she said she made a gruesome discovery.'


Talk about 2 different sides of the lucky coin...

[Lathum]

if thats true thats crazy

[Chief Rum]

Mine was gonna be:

Q: How long will the list of charges against Six Flags be?

A: About two feet

I was going to tell her to walk it off.

[BrianD]

'Williams’ daughter Amber said she gave up her seat to the 13-year-old and was sitting on the other side of the ride. Williams rushed toward the ride to find his daughter. As Smith raced to find members of her group she said she made a gruesome discovery.'


Talk about 2 different sides of the lucky coin...

I wonder what kind of survivor's guilt comes with that decision. Hopefully they will all get the help they need.

[Karlifornia]

I wonder what kind of survivor's guilt comes with that decision. Hopefully they will all get the help they need.

I dunno...but I'm thinking a spinoff of final destination is in order...like...instead of all the movie characters getting killed off in different ways, they all have their feet severed in the order that their feet were supposed to have been severed. And instead of Death chasing them....it's.....Dr. Scholl?

Anyway, call me back Mr. Weinstein...my phone is always on.

[oykib]

Guys. We're talking about a 13 year old girl who's just had a horrible experience that's going to leave her crippled for life.

This is beyond poor taste.

[RendeR]

Guys. We're talking about a 13 year old girl who's just had a horrible experience that's going to leave her crippled for life.

This is beyond poor taste.

What part of a Karlifornia post did you expect to be in GOOD taste?

[BrianD]

Guys. We're talking about a 13 year old girl who's just had a horrible experience that's going to leave her crippled for life.

This is beyond poor taste.

"Hello, this is FOFC. Have we met?"

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Guys. We're talking about a 13 year old girl who's just had a horrible experience that's going to leave her crippled for life.

This is beyond poor taste.

Look at it on the bright side. The cable didn't wrap around her neck.

[rkmsuf]

I've been warning you people about these rides for years.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

From the FoxNews story.....

The Agriculture Department is responsible for inspecting amusement park rides in Kentucky. "We don't know the cause and we may never know the cause, honestly," Clary said.

1. I'm no genius, but I think a busted cable caused the problem.

2. So a person who usually counts ears of corn is also responsible for determining the safety of amusement rides in Kentucky????? Remind me to never go to an amusement park in Kentucky.

[Ksyrup]

From the FoxNews story.....



1. I'm no genius, but I think a busted cable caused the problem.

2. So a person who usually counts ears of corn is also responsible for determining the safety of amusement rides in Kentucky????? Remind me to never go to an amusement park in Kentucky.

That's actually not uncommon. Frequently, DOAs in most states get a lot of miscellaneous oversight authority. Florida is the same way, and its DoA is also responsible for amusement rides (of which there are just a few more than in KY, I would imagine!). In Florida, for instance, in addition to what you would ordinarily consider to be the oversight of "agriculture," the DoA also has jurisdiction over gasoline and LP gas, antifreeze/brake fluid, it issues concealed weapons licenses, manages state forests, and regulates businesses such as auto repair shops, dance studios, pawnbrokers, and a bunch of others.

[Anthony]

cowboy up

[hhiipp]

I realize it's frightening to hear about these sort of stories, but saying things like "I'll never get on one of those again," isn't really making you any safer at an amusement park. This week it was a drop ride, next it could be a coaster, accidents aren't limited to one type of ride.

[Karlifornia]

People sure aren't afraid to get into a vehicle and drive everywhere, which is much more dangerous than a thrill ride. I suppose the difference is riding the ride gives up all control?

[Eaglesfan27]

People sure aren't afraid to get into a vehicle and drive everywhere, which is much more dangerous than a thrill ride. I suppose the difference is riding the ride gives up all control?


That is one difference. Another major difference is that vehicles are functional in that they are serving the need to get from one place to another. A thrill ride's main purpose is the thrill.

[stevew]

I didn't realize Six Flags had a theme ride for some 80s movie starring Kevin Bacon.

[MizzouRah]

I realize it's frightening to hear about these sort of stories, but saying things like "I'll never get on one of those again," isn't really making you any safer at an amusement park. This week it was a drop ride, next it could be a coaster, accidents aren't limited to one type of ride.

It's a knee-jerk reaction.

I say that everytime I read about a motorcycle accident.

[tarcone]

Superman at Six Flags-St Louis drops 265 feet at 70 MPH. I believe it has the ability to seat 6 cars of 4 people.
A broken cable could do some major damage.
Feel sorry for the girl, but it could have been much worse.

[Mustang]

Feel sorry for the girl, but it could have been much worse.

If I ever have my feet cut off and someone plays the 'could have been worse card', I'll still have a desire to put my nub up their ass.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

If I ever have my feet cut off and someone plays the 'could have been worse card', I'll still have a desire to put my nub up their ass.

I think the point was that they were lucky that only one person got hurt and not more, but I could be wrong.

[MizzouRah]

They shut the Superman ride down here in Missouri.

[Ksyrup]

Both 6 Flags and the Cedar Point parks have shut down similar rides.

[tarcone]

I think the point was that they were lucky that only one person got hurt and not more, but I could be wrong.

I dont think I would go up to a recently de-footed person and say "It could have been worse".
I was saying the 2nd part.

[molson]

I dont think I would go up to a recently de-footed person and say "It could have been worse".
I was saying the 2nd part.

Going up to someone and saying that is one thing, posting it on a relatively obscure message board is a completely different thing.

But ya, if this giant cable was capable of slicing off a girl's feet, it could have decapatated a dozen people if it came in at a different angle, so things certainly could have been worse.

[CraigSca]

"Ma'am, we think we can save your daughter's feet. Where would you like them sent?"

[bulletsponge]

i like those drop rides. even though they scare the sh*t out of me. the one in Houston seems to go up forever, and everytime im on it, it never seems to stop going up. then you have a great view of the park, and realize your freaking feet are danglin over the edge and are about to fall all the way down! i have a love/ hate relation with those ride

[Toddzilla]

I'm glad 6 Flags was responsible enough to close the rides down and start an investigation to make them safer.

Sure beats the Disney system - close the ride for a few hours, hose off the blood, and open it back up.

[DeToxRox]

What part of a Karlifornia post did you expect to be in GOOD taste?

He just needed a leg up on everyone else making inappropriate comments.

[Crim]

Sure beats the Disney system - close the ride for a few hours, hose off the blood, threaten to disembowel any media outlet that gives the "incident" more than a passing one-day mention, and open it back up.

Fixed.

[Mr. Wednesday]

i like those drop rides. even though they scare the sh*t out of me. the one in Houston seems to go up forever, and everytime im on it, it never seems to stop going up. then you have a great view of the park, and realize your freaking feet are danglin over the edge and are about to fall all the way down! i have a love/ hate relation with those ride
With AstroWorld closed, I wonder where the Dungeon Drop went? If anywhere?

[Sgran]

In Budapest they have a travelling carnival come through town every so often. It was in the city park on May 1, and my kids were jumping around in one of those inflatable castle-type deals. We went home and a few hours later some really strong winds whipped up and threw the whole thing into the air. Watching the news that night, we found out some little kid was thrown out of it, broke his neck and died.

[21C]

I saw this thread earlier just above the So You Think Can Dance one.

[Maple Leafs]

Ironically, she is no longer tall enough to ride this ride.

[sterlingice]

Ironically, she is no longer tall enough to ride this ride.

*rimshot*

SI