A couple has received commendations for their swift response upon noticing a girl behind them who was in distress due to a severe roller coaster malfunction.
A visit to Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri, turned into a nightmare for a girl when her seatbelt became unfastened while she was on a roller coaster at the park on October 11.
The couple in front of her quickly took action when they saw that the girl’s seatbelt on the Mamba roller coaster had come undone. They heard her screaming, not out of joy, but from sheer terror.
Chris and Casie Evins, the couple, later shared their experience with the media regarding the frightening event and reflected on their prompt actions that probably saved the young girl’s life.
As is customary with many roller coasters, a photo was captured mid-ride that illustrated how the couple assisted the girl in remaining seated.
Chris recounted to the media, “We boarded the roller coaster, and as we reached the very first hill, the girl sitting behind my wife emitted a blood-curdling scream like I’ve never heard before.”
Initially, he thought the girl might be experiencing the ride for the first time, but he quickly understood that something was amiss when she began to scream that her seatbelt had come undone.
The ride can accelerate to 75mph and reach heights of 205ft. Without hesitation, the couple turned around and did their utmost to help keep the girl secure in her seat.
Chris described his actions, “I had looped my arm under her lap bar, which had a significant gap between her and the lap bar. At that moment, I noticed a large space, with no seatbelt.”
“I looped my arm under the lap bar and held onto her wrist. My wife was pressing down on her legs,” he elaborated.
He mentioned that he and his wife had experienced the roller coaster numerous times, familiar with its twists and turns, and were prepared for any potential changes that might arise.
The park verified that an additional restraint was utilized and that a safety inspection of the ride was conducted following the incident.
A representative from the park stated, “The safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority. After receiving a report of a guest’s concern regarding the ride several weeks ago, our team promptly closed the ride and carried out a detailed inspection before reopening it that same evening.”
The statement continued, “The ride features a multi-layered restraint system, with lap bars serving as the primary restraint. The seat belts act as a secondary restraint.”
“During several inspections, there was no indication of any failure in the lap bar system or the buckles on the seat belts throughout all ride inspections, and the ride has been operating safely since the initial concern was raised.”
They concluded, “On Thursday, the ride underwent a thorough safety evaluation by the Fire Marshall. Once again, the lap bars and buckles were confirmed to be fully operational, and we made minor adjustments to several seat belts to ensure they met or surpassed all relevant safety standards before the ride was opened to guests that evening.”
This incident is truly frightening. The couple’s quick response undoubtedly played a crucial role in saving the girl’s life. Please share this with others.
