2 Dead After a Roller Coaster Was Derailed at a Mexico City Amusement Park
A roller coaster ride took a fatal turn at an amusement park in Mexico City this weekend.
Two people are dead and two are seriously injured after the last car on the Quimera roller coaster at the La Feria de Chapultepec amusement park became detached from the rest of the train and fell more than 30 feet, hitting a steel support beam on the way down, the OC Register reported on Sunday.
The horrific accident took place a little after 1 p.m., the outlet reported, and eyewitnesses said that the two people who died were seen hitting their heads on the metal beams supporting the roller coaster during the fall, describing first responders arriving to a bloody scene with the fallen car on its side.
The two who died were two men aged 18 and 21, according to CBS News, while the two seriously injured were female. An additional six riders on the roller coaster were treated for shock, the OC Register said.
While an investigation is ongoing, a spokesman from the Mexico City attorney general’s office told CBS News that preliminary inspection indicated “mechanical failure” as the cause of the accident.
La Feria released a statement on Facebook on Saturday that the park “deeply regrets the terrible accident that happened today in its facilities.”
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The statement went on to say that the park is offering “total and complete support to our affected guests” and that it is working with local authorities on the investigations.
“We will be sharing in detail the follow-up of all investigations as the results are obtained,” the statement concluded.
In another, longer statement shared to Facebook on Sunday, the park said, “From the first moment our priority has been to accompany and provide all the necessary support to the affected visitors and their families. We are in coordination with the authorities to support the families of the two people who unfortunately lost their lives as a result of this accident.”
The statement also said that the park is dedicated to making sure that the two injured women “receive the necessary medical attention.”
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“We are working with the authorities of Mexico City and we will provide with transparency all the information that allows to determine the cause of said accident. We will keep you updated with any relevant information,” the statement continued.
The statement went on to say the because “the safety of our visitors is a priority,” activities will be suspended so that the park can “follow up on the protocols, security measures and maintenance of our facilities, which are subject to constant tests under national and international standards.”
The park’s second statement concluded by offering its “deepest condolences to [the] families [of those who died] and reiterate that they have all our support.”
The tragedy comes a few months after two were killed and dozens were injured when a swinging amusement park ride broke free and crashed to the ground in India in July.
