It says it can swing passengers 40 feet above the ground, while spinning them at 13 revolutions per minute. The Fire Ball ride swings 24 riders back and forth like a pendulum while they sit facing each other in four-seat carriages that also spin and are attached to the main arm.Īmusements of America, the company that provides rides to the Ohio State Fair, describes the Fire Ball as an "aggressive thrill ride." On its website, it says the Fire Ball debuted in 2002 and is one of its most popular rides on the midway. Passers-by look at the Fire Ball ride as Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers stand guard at the Ohio State Fair on Thu., July 27, 2017, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Department of Agriculture records provided Thursday to The Associated Press show passing marks on inspections of about three dozen items including cracks, brakes, proper assembly and installation. Records show that inspections were up to date and a state permit had just been issued for the ride. Officials are investigating what caused the ride to break apart and would not speculate on possible explanations. Ohio State Highway Patrol investigators were at the scene of the deadly incident, which was reported at 7:24 p.m. "We have shut down all rides until the state has inspected each and every ride again and deemed them to be safe." All rides at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus were shut down after 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell was killed after the Fire Ball ride he was on fell apart in mid-air. "Our hearts are heavy for the families of those involved in last night's tragic accident," fair officials said in a Thursday post on Twitter. As the nation watched the horrific viral video as one of the arms on the 72-foot-tall, 54-ton steel ride shears apart in mid-swing while catapulting riders into the air, Gov. Each ride provides a similar ride experience, but are larger than each other in terms of both size and capacity. "I heard a girl scream 'help,' and I look over, and I see someone fly out, and then I see it slap to the ground," witness Jennifer Body told CBS Columbus affiliate WBNS-TV.įirst responders and witnesses rushed to help the victims, who were scattered across the ground. Larson makes three different versions of the ride: The Fire Ball, the 22M Giant Loop, and the Giga Loop 100ft.
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