CAVENDISH - Additional safety measures have been implemented at an amusement park in Cavendish following a frightening incident last week that saw a teenager flung from a ride.
Leah Forrest, 15, had the scare of her life on Wednesday, Aug. 12 when she flew out of the Rok-n-Rol ride, crashing to the deck below. She escaped serious injury, but was bruised, sore and rattled.
Eric MacArthur, chief inspector of elevators, lifts and amusement devices for the province, did an inspection the day after the incident. He was not able to determine how Leah was sent shooting out of the ride. He determined the seatbelt was latching properly and that there was no proof of operator error.
The ride was cleared to resume operation.
Sandspit Entertainment president Matthew Jelley says he is not able to conclude what caused the accident, but shares MacArthur’s determination that the operator was not at fault and the ride was functioning properly.
“Beyond that, it would be speculative,’’ he says.
Still, Jelley has taken action after consultation with MacArthur.
He has reduced the maximum capacity of the Rok-n-Rol ride to one person on either side of each circular cage from the previous standard of two. He says this measure reduces the possibility of horseplay and results in a lone seatbelt crossing one person rather than two.
Jelley says the person who was operating the Rok-n-Rol ride when the accident occurred has been reassigned to another ride “for everybody’s comfort level.’’
From the Charlottetown Guardian