8 terrifying amusement park accidents
Disasters on roller coasters and other rides have struck theme parks around the world
The Ohio State Fair has reopened but all rides remain closed after a carnival ride broke apart earlier this week, killing a teen boy and injuring seven other people.
Video taken by a witness showed the Fire Ball swinging and rotating in the air before it malfunctioned and parts flew off, throwing passengers onto the ground.
This "aggressive thrill" ride is one of a handful of attractions that have malfunctioned at fairs and amusement parks over the years, causing death or serious injury. Here are eight others:
Thunder River Rapids, Oct. 25, 2016
Four people were killed when a raft flipped over at the Dreamworld amusement park on Australia's Gold Coast. Park management permanently closed the water ride after the accident and invited the victims' families to create a memorial in their honour.
Verruckt waterslide, Aug. 8, 2016
A 10-year-old boy died while riding the world's tallest waterslide in Kansas City, Kan., last summer. Witnesses say Caleb Thomas Schwab was decapitated while going down the "Verruckt" (German for "insane") waterslide at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark. Two women on the same raft suffered minor facial injuries during the 17-storey, free-fall ride described by one amusement park safety expert as "nothing more than a roller coaster with water."
Tennessee ferris wheel, Aug. 8, 2016
Three girls were seriously injured at a Tennessee county fair when their ferris wheel basket flipped, sending them nine to 14 metres to the ground. Briley Rae Reynolds suffered a severe brain injury in the fall and her 10-year-old sister broke an arm. The mishap was likely caused by "mechanical failure," inspectors said.
Tsunami roller-coaster, July 26, 2016
Ten people including eight children were injured when a roller-coaster they were riding at M&D's theme park in Scotland derailed and crashed onto a children's ride below. Five gondolas on the Tsunami coaster detached from the rails as they rounded a bend, struck the ride's main structure and fell to the ground, police said.
Space Journey, June 30, 2010
Six people died and 10 others were injured when the Space Journey, designed to simulate the experience of a rocket launch, plunged 15 metres to the ground at the Ecoventure Valley amusement park in Shenzen, China. Witnesses said, shortly before the ride ended, that the power was cut and the cabins carrying 44 passengers flipped and plunged to the ground.
Fujin Raijin roller-coaster, May 5, 2007
A woman died and 21 other people were injured when the Fujin Raijin II roller-coaster at the Expoland amusement park in Japan slipped off its track and hit a guard rail. The roller-coaster, which people ride standing up, was carrying 24 riders and was going 75 km/h when the accident occurred.
Mindbender roller-coaster, June 14, 1986
Three people were killed when a roller-coaster derailed at the West Edmonton Mall. A four-car train on the Mindbender, the world's largest indoor, triple-loop ride, was going 100 km/h when it jumped from the track, throwing three of four passengers in the last car to their deaths. Only one victim, who was severely injured in the chest and neck, survived. After new safety measures were implemented, the attraction reopened more than a year later.
Six Flags Haunted Castle, May 11, 1984
A fire ripped through a haunted castle at the Six Flags Great Adventure park in Jackson Township, N.J., killing eight teens. A foam pad caught fire inside the structure, which was made up of interconnected trailers and plywood frames that weren't equipped with sprinklers or smoke alarms. The tragedy prompted state legislators to pass laws requiring structures like haunted houses to meet new fire-safety measures.