roller coaster accident -- blame it on the t-bar

[Briar Rose 7457]

t bar restraints to be eliminated

 

[Lanshark]

Is Space Mountain a T Bar restraint?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Not to start a debate but I think in the case here, the man had some sort of mental disorder, and should not have even been on the ride in the first place.

In MA law states that people with disablities like cerebral palsy (I think that is what he had) may ride rides if they can get on and off themselves. This mans mother has repeatedly stated that he could not possibly have.

I don't know how he got to the ride in the first place, or who was with him in the park.

I don't think it had anything to do with the bar. I think it was a combination of a severly mentally retarded adult not being supervised in a theme park, the ride attendant not being able to make a proper judgement call and the both of them not knowing how to properly use the bar.

I suppose it is possible, but most amusement park injuries and fatalities are the result of human error, not mechanical.

This is just very sad. I feel so bad for the mans elderly mother

 

[phamton]

This is the first I have heard about him being mentally retarded. Everything I read just said he had cerebral palsy.

 

[DawnCt]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
Not to start a debate but I think in the case here, the man had some sort of mental disorder, and should not have even been on the ride in the first place.

The man involved had no mental disorder. He had cerebral palsy, which affects motor function. He was able to get into his vehicle. Drive his car at least 30 miles, park, get on his scooter and get on the ride by himself. He was 5 ft. 2 inches and weighed 230 pounds which eliminates the possibility that he could have slipped through the restraints. Perhaps the bar wasn't fasten properly, perhaps no one checked the restraint. He was permitted to ride (ADA) as long as he could access the ride himself. He could. He was a frequent park visitor. This is what he enjoyed doing.

 

[Evil Princess]

No one is quite sure what caused the accident, it could have been the T-bar, it could have been something else.

You are more likely to die from a coconut falling on your head and killing you than on a coaster, and yes, that is true.

Rollercoasters are, for the most part, safe rides. Very rarely does an accident happen that is the fault of the coaster, usually it is rider or ride operator error.

Only Mass. closed rides with T-bar restraints. And yes, Space Mountain would be considered a T-Bar, however, it is made by a different manufacturer.

 

[stinkerbelle]

something else to add:
from www.wtnh.com

(Agawam, Mass.-WTNH, May 3, 2004 Updated 10:00 PM ) _ It is still unclear how a 55 year old Connecticut man fell to his death while riding the Superman Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England.

News Channel 8 has learned that there were problems on another ride in the park the same day. Also, the victim's twin brother is speaking out.


The Massachusetts public safety department has suspended permits on all rides using the T-bar lap restraint system that is used in the Superman ride.

Stanley Mordarsky was thrown to his death from the Superman Ride of Steel roller coaster. Tonight questions remain how he was secured inside the car.

"Are you angry?" asks Verna Collins.
"Of course until somebody is honest, I don't know who to be angry with," says Daniel Mordarsky, victim's twin brother.

Daniel Mordarsky says there's no reason a ride at the Six Flags amusement park in Agawam, Massachusetts, should have killed his twin brother. On Saturday, 55 year old Stanley was thrown to his death from the Superman Ride of Steel.

"They realize these roller coasters go 80 mph. What's going to keep a person in there. It seems like it's just as a lay person or common sense that it should have been a little more. Err on the side of safety, not on the side of having a thrill ride," says Daniel.

Now the Department of Public Safety in Massachusetts, is forbidding any state park to operate rides that use the kind of restraint found on the Superman roller coaster. That T-bar lap restraint, is being tested and possibly redesigned. Daniel says it's too little too late.

"It makes you so angry that it takes something so tragic to make somebody do what a little bit of effort might have cured," says Daniel.

Tonight Six Flags speaks out for the first time about the restraint system inside the Superman ride.

"The Superman ride has dual restraints. The first is a seatbelt restraint just as you see in a car. It clips on. The second is a lap bar," says Mary Ann Burns, Six Flags New England spokesperson.

News Channel 8 has learned three hours after Mordarsky was thrown to his death, the Double Trouble, another roller coaster at the Six Flags stopped in mid ride stranding people upside down for 19 minutes.

"There was one kid who was yelling,'Get me down' but most of the crowd was supporting them and they were pretty calm and they kept supporting them and saying,'Hang in there. You will be okay' ," says Anna Gambini, Westbrook.

Anna Gambini took the pictures as she was passing by the ride. While they look dramatic, Six Flags says the ride was stopped as a safety precaution and performed exactly as it should.

"The ride computer actually picked up a detection of something wrong with the ride and did exactly what it was supposed to and stopped the ride," says Burns.

"What are they trying to prevent. That is what I would like to know. What would have happened if they kept going? You kept going. It would be better than hanging upside down for 20 minutes," says Gambini.

The ride is supposed to stop immediately when there is trouble detected by the computer. Even if it means hanging people upside down in one of the cars, preventing an accident is a top priority.

Meanwhile, officials say the suspension of operating permits on rides that use a T bar lap restraint for technical evaluation, testing and possible redesign is not intended to alarm the industry or riders that the restraints are unsafe.

The department expects to issue a report on the accident by the end of the week.

Daniel Mordarsky will visit Six Flags on Tuesday to see where his brother died.
-----

as a side note - stuck upside down for nearly 20 minutes? that's gotta suck!

I used to live across the river from this place...back when it was called "Riverside" (Six flags bought it out when I was in High School about 10 years ago...) I just hope they are employing better employees then Riverside did...

 

[Hillbeans]

I always thought those rides are all controled row by row, ie, if one seat opens the row opens - and someone would know on the "control panel" if one of them opened.

I don't know anything about cerebral palsy, however i'd question whether this sort of ride is a good idea with this condition. I do believe the rides, especially one like this, have some sort of restrictions but I don't know if that includes this kind of handicap. Perhaps this person freaked out and tried to get off mid-ride????

Either way, this guy didn't deserve to die and it's a very tragic accident.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by DawnCt
The man involved had no mental disorder. He had cerebral palsy, which affects motor function. He was able to get into his vehicle. Drive his car at least 30 miles, park, get on his scooter and get on the ride by himself. He was 5 ft. 2 inches and weighed 230 pounds which eliminates the possibility that he could have slipped through the restraints. Perhaps the bar wasn't fasten properly, perhaps no one checked the restraint. He was permitted to ride (ADA) as long as he could access the ride himself. He could. He was a frequent park visitor. This is what he enjoyed doing.

Thanks for the clarification. From the way his mother made it sound, it seemed like he was unable to take care of himself and shouldn't have even been allowed on the ride.

This makes me think it was an error on the part of the ride operator.

 

[stinkerbelle]

there is a t-bar AND a "seatbelt" on this ride...

maybe he wasn't wearing one? no-one has said if the belt came apart - was found apart, or was faulty in any way.

at least - I haven't heard anything about it

 

[SeaSpray]

Like I said in another thread, I've ridden that ride and felt that the t-bar was NOT enough to hold you in. During the entire ride I was genuinely scared and felt like I was going to FALL OUT. I have been riding roller coasters of ALL types for over 25 years and never felt like I was going to fall out, like I did on that ride. In fact, that is the ONLY roller coaster that I ever was scared on and will never ride again, unless they install better restraints.

 

[Kimberle]

This park has been plagued with problems eversince 6 Flags took it over. Seems like there is at least 1 death or serious injury every year.

I've not gone there and don't think I ever will. Shame, cause I only live abt 90 minutes away......

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by SeaSpray
Like I said in another thread, I've ridden that ride and felt that the t-bar was NOT enough to hold you in. During the entire ride I was genuinely scared and felt like I was going to FALL OUT.

To be honest - I felt the same way when I rode space mountain.

Now I know everyone here will say that SM is safe...but I felt like I was going to be thrown out too...

but that's why I don't ride rollerscoasters...hehehe...I tried SM only once to apease DH.

BTMR is my limit! hehe

 

[goofy4tink]

You know, as soon as this was reported on, all of could think of was 'wonder what Barry would say about this restraint system. So, Barry...oh great thrill seeker, what do you think?

 

[MelessaG]

This is why I won't let my DD age 6 ride Space Mountain. It is my favorite ride, but DD is extremely thin and petite. (People often ask me if she was a preemie-she wasn't, she's just little) However, she IS technically tall enough to ride and smart enough to know it. (Gotta love arguing with a 6 year-old) I'm not knocking SM and will probably ride it at least 2x on our next trip-but she will have to get a little bigger before I allow her to do so. I know Disney goes the extra mile to keep riders safe, but my 'mommy instinct' tells me not to let her ride.
My heart is breaking for this man's mother. It has to be just as hard to lose a child at 55 as it is at 5.



Melessa

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by MelessaG
My heart is breaking for this man's mother. It has to be just as hard to lose a child at 55 as it is at 5.

Melessa

It is. My mom's brother died about two years ago at age 56 and my grandmother was devastated.

 

[Beth76]

Originally posted by DawnCt
He was 5 ft. 2 inches and weighed 230 pounds which eliminates the possibility that he could have slipped through the restraints. Perhaps the bar wasn't fasten properly, perhaps no one checked the restraint.

That seems like he's a pretty big guy, don't you think? Perhaps he was too large for the ride and it didn't latch properly

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by SeaSpray
Like I said in another thread, I've ridden that ride and felt that the t-bar was NOT enough to hold you in. During the entire ride I was genuinely scared and felt like I was going to FALL OUT. I have been riding roller coasters of ALL types for over 25 years and never felt like I was going to fall out, like I did on that ride. In fact, that is the ONLY roller coaster that I ever was scared on and will never ride again, unless they install better restraints.

ITA - I love roller coasters and felt exactly the same way on this one. DH said I kept trying to sink further into the seat, I felt as if I was just going to fly out. I did not enjoy this coaster and would never ride it again. I have not had this problem with other t bar type coasters, fwiw.

TJ

 

[castlegazer]

This has me extremely freaked out because I just bought season tickets for the first time ever two weeks ago during their promotion. Here is another article that mentions that there was a person sitting next to him - holy cow that person must be scarred for life. They interviewed witnesses on the news whe said that they had to turn away and not watch the drop because it was just so horrific. I am supposed to go this weekend for my birthday and we probably will still go, but we won't be riding this ride if its open and quite possibly none of the other coasters either.

State orders some rides shut at amusement parks
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
By KEN ROSS

AGAWAM - In the wake of Saturday's fatal roller coaster accident at Six Flags New England, state officials yesterday ordered amusement parks statewide to stop operating rides equipped with the same lap restraint as the one used on the roller coaster that threw a 55-year-old man to his death.

State officials also remained tight-lipped about their investigation until they release a report later this week outlining the cause of the accident.

"It (the report) will identify findings and it will be up to the park to craft a remedy that satisfies the (state) Department of Public Safety," department spokeswoman Christine M. Cole said yesterday.

Stanley J. Mordarsky of Bloomfield, Conn., died after he was hurled from a Superman Ride of Steel car near the final turn of the two-minute ride.

The exact cause of Mordarsky's death was not available yesterday. The Medical Examiner's Office at Providence Hospital in Holyoke declined to comment and referred questions to the Agawam Police Department.

Agawam police Lt. Gary E. Nardi said police had not been informed of the cause of death and that the state Department of Public Safety was handling the investigation. Nardi added the cause of death often takes weeks to determine.

In response to the accident, the Department of Public Safety yesterday issued a memo to amusement parks statewide suspending the operating permits of rides with a T-bar lap restraint "pending technical evaluation, testing and possible redesign," the memo stated.

The T-shaped restraint extends from the floor of the ride and across the rider's lap, according to Six Flags New England spokeswoman Mary Ann Burns.

Burns said she was unaware of yesterday's memo. Burns added she does not know whether the directive will force the park to shut down more roller coasters.

"It depends on how they define T bar," Burns said.

The Superman ride was shut down immediately after Saturday's accident and remained closed Sunday. The amusement park was closed yesterday as scheduled. Currently, the park is closed Monday through Thursday until Memorial Day, when the park will open on a daily basis for the summer.

Exactly how many roller coasters statewide will be affected by yesterday's directive remains unknown, Cole said. However, she said she believed the number was small.

"We don't believe there are a large number of T-bar lap restraints," Cole said.

Cole added the memo was not intended to alarm the industry or riders that the restraints are unsafe. "It could be a quick turnaround before the rides could operate again," she said.

The state Department of Public Safety has concluded its on-site investigation of Saturday's accident, Cole said. The state will now analyze its findings and provide suggestions for making the ride safer.

State officials have still not said whether Mordarsky was wearing his seat belt. Cole also declined to comment on whether Mordarsky's physical condition contributed to his death. Mordarsky had cerebral palsy. Cole said there was a rider seated next to Mordarsky.

Superman will remain closed until the state declares the ride safe, Burns said. Burns and Cole declined to comment on exactly what needs to be done to make the ride safe. But Cole said such changes are "not particularly onerous or cumbersome."

Debbie Nauser, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma City-based Six Flags Inc., said the company has shut down a similar roller coaster at its amusement park in Largo, Md., outside of Washington, D.C.

Nauser said it is company policy to shut down rides in other parks that are the same or similar to a ride involved in an accident until investigators determine what went wrong.

Nauser couldn't recall the last time someone was killed because of mechanical failure on a ride at any of the company's 28 amusement parks in the United States, but said a patron was killed last summer at a Six Flags in New Orleans when she was struck by a ride.

The last roller coaster fatality in Massachusetts happened in the mid-1980s at a now-closed park in North Dartmouth.

The Superman ride opened in 2000. It is 20 stories high and reaches speeds of 80 mph. The coaster was involved in an accident in 2001 when one car rear-ended another. Twenty-two people received minor injuries.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

 

[JESW]

Just so very sad.

And not to start another debate...but when you talk about sizes for rides, it always bothers me when parents will try to fudge their childs height so they can go on rides at WDW. When DD was tall enough she rode BTMR and still couldn't keep her seat - I had to hold her so she wouldn't fall (slide) out. Safety first.

Jill