Several people were seriously injured in another Tennessee amusement ride accident over the weekend. Officials say eight passengers aboard an amusement ride at a Delta Fair in Memphis were injured on Saturday. A preliminary investigation reveals the lap bar on the Moonraker released prematurely towards the end of the ride. Some passengers, including children, fell into the metal bars, and others were tossed out of their seats. A spokesperson for Delta Fair confirmed it was a ride operator error that caused the accident. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and took eight people to the hospital. Injuries sustained varied and included a broken collarbone, a fractured leg, and wrist.
The spokesperson from Delta Fair said the Moonraker’s computer system detected a problem and began an immediate safety shutdown. The spokesperson stated that the ride operator made a critical error and pressed a manual override button that released safety restraints before the ride came to a complete stop. At first, the Officials at the Delta Fair downplayed the accident and reported that no one fell off the ride, and no one was injured. The officials then apologized for the incorrect statement and confirmed it was a more serious incident. A rider on the Moonraker described the accident as deadly and felt she escaped injury narrowly. According to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, passengers were thrown from the ride. The Delta Fair officials denied that claim at first but later confirmed that was true. The ride was closed, and the accident is still under investigation.
Amusement ride injuries can be severe. If you’ve been a victim of an amusement ride accident, contact Meyerkord & Kurth, LLC.