1 Killed, 2 Injured on Ride At Ohio State Fair

The Ohio State Fair will reopen today, one day after one of its rides fell apart during operation. One man died and seven people were hurt. The rides will not be operational, however, until all of them have been reinspected and are deemed safe.

Video footage that was captured by a bystander at the fair on July 26 showed the Fire Ball ride swinging back and forth like a pendulum and spinning in the air as it was supposed to. But then, it crashed into something and part of the ride flew off. 

Fair officials stated that the man who died was one of the people who were thrown to the ground as the ride broke apart. Ohio State Medical Center reported that three people who were hurt were being treated there. Two of them were in critical condition.

The police stated that the man who died was 18, and the injured ranged in age from 13-41.

Witnesses stated that the ride was functioning normally, and it was at its highest point, then he saw something fall on the ride and a row of seats fell off and slammed into the ground.

The ride had been inspected earlier in the week and had passed inspection. All fair rides are checked several times during set up to ensure that they are set up as intended by the manufacturer.

Our View

All of our personal injury attorneys in Virginia and North Carolina are sorry about the loss of life that occurred this week at the Ohio State Fair. Amusement park accidents have been in the news in recent years. One of the worst in memory was in 2016 when a 10-year-old boy was decapitated on a water slide in Kansas City.

Even though the rides at the Ohio State Fair, including the Fire Ball, were inspected, it still is possible for an accident to occur. Lack of training in inspections and in the set up of the rides can lead to serious injury and death. 

There is little doubt that there will be a long investigation into what caused this Ohio State Fair amusement park accident. The family of the young man who died should think carefully about their legal options, and should consider hiring an experienced wrongful death attorney. This type of accident could result in a large financial settlement, as the man who died was only 18. Not only could they receive compensation for pain and suffering but also for lost wages and more.