Saskatoon

Fire Ball midway ride pulled from Saskatoon, Regina fairs after fatal accident in U.S.

The type of midway ride that broke apart, killing an 18-year-old man at the Ohio State Fair on Wednesday, will be pulled from the Saskatoon Ex and the Queen City Ex this year.

1 killed, 7 injured at Ohio State Fair

Damaged chairs of the Fire Ball amusement ride after the ride malfunctioned, injuring several at the Ohio State Fair on Wednesday. (Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

The type of midway ride that broke apart, killing an 18-year-old man at the Ohio State Fair on Wednesday and injuring seven others, will be pulled from the Saskatoon Ex and the Queen City Ex this year.

The midway operator for the two fairs, North American Midway Entertainment, is taking all of its Fire Ball rides out of service until the cause of the failure is determined. 

The company is not the midway provider at the Ohio State Fair.

The company shut down the Fire Ball ride this week at Edmonton's K-Days fair. The ride has also been pulled from the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in August.

The man who was killed in Columbus, Ohio, was one of several people thrown to the ground when the ride malfunctioned.

The ride seats 24 and swings back and forth like a pendulum while rotating.

Saskatoon Ex and Prairieland Park say North American Midway Entertainment has rigorous safety procedures in place for the operation of the rides, and they are confident in the operation of the midway during the fair Aug. 8-13.

The Queen City Ex happens Aug. 2-6.