American Dream water park to remain closed through Friday. What we know about the crash
The closure of DreamWorks Water Park at American Dream will last even longer, as the mall said it will be closed at least through Friday.
It’s been days since a decorative helicopter collapsed and injured four guests at the park, forcing it to be closed to the public while state authorities conduct an investigation.
Originally, American Dream said the water park would be closed Monday through Wednesday. The move left the DreamWorks attraction shut on Presidents Day and for at least part of a week when business was expected to be brisk, with many schools closed and parents and children looking for activities.
Sunday’s mishap left four patrons of the park with non-life-threatening injuries when the helicopter, which normally hangs from the ceiling of DreamWorks Water Park, became detached and fell into the pool just after 3 p.m.
The park was evacuated and has remained closed since then.
American Dream spokeswoman Jessica Griffin said the rest of the mall and its attractions remain open. Here's what we know about the crash:
Who's investigating?
The Amusement Ride Safety Inspections Unit, an arm of the state Department of Community Affairs, has been on site at the water park, said DCA spokesperson Lisa Ryan.
The agency deemed the water park an “unsafe structure” and ordered it to stay closed while the investigation is underway, Ryan said.
She said the DCA could not estimate when the investigation would be complete and the park would reopen.
“The DreamWorks Water Park is currently shut down and shall remain shut down pending completion of DCA’s ongoing investigation,” Ryan said.
What is the mall saying?
"The safety of our guests is our highest priority," Griffin said in an emailed statement. "All appropriate security measures have been taken; the park is secured for the duration of the investigation. Additionally, our guest services team is on site to provide guidance to those whose visits were impacted by [Sunday's] event."
She added: "We voluntarily suspended operations immediately following [Sunday's] event and remain in lockstep with the state as we continue to coordinate on the investigation to ensure all safety regulations and requirements are met before reopening the DreamWorks Water Park."
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How has the public reacted?
A NorthJersey.com Facebook post with a link to the original story about the collapse received nearly 250 comments.
"That place is cursed," said one comment, which received 28 likes.
"It appears that the entire place needs an inspection," another commenter wrote. "That’s a good idea after what’s been happening."
Sunday's collapse is not the first incident to plague American Dream, which was recently sued by lenders for more than $380 million.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: American Dream water park still closed after display helicopter crash
