A North Carolina amusement park was forced to close down one of its rollercoasters on Friday after a massive crack was spotted on a support beam, a week after visitors started posting about it on social media.
According to news reports, Carowinds shut Fury 325 on Friday evening after riders had been enjoying it on schedule throughout the day.
The park’s website advertises the ride as the ‘tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America’ that crosses into both North Carolina and South Carolina.
Video of the ride showed the beam bending, the top of it visibly detached, as cars with passengers whirled by over the past week.
Despite the park saying that it inspects rides daily, park visitors claim it took days after they first noticed the crack for it to be closed down for repairs.
A North Carolina amusement park closed down one of its roller coasters Friday after a massive crack was spotted on a support beam
‘Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process,’ Carowinds officials said in a statement.
‘As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.’
At least two park visitors reported the crack to officials, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Multiple park visitors posted photos on Facebook showing the crack as early as June 24 on her visit to the park.
A spokesman for Carowinds did not respond to questions regarding the crack being spotted long before it closed down the ride.
A former paramedic told officials Friday after he’d spotted the crack as he was waiting to pick up his children in the parking lot, according to WBTV.
Fury 325 first opened to the public in 2015 and cost approximately $30million to build, according to news reports.
It proved a popular attraction, being named the ‘hottest ride in the park’ when Time put Carowinds on its list of ten best amusement parks in the country in 2018.
Fury 325 first opened to the public in 2015 and cost approximately $30million to build, according to news reports.
The ride hits speeds of up to 95 miles per hour and contains an 81-degree plunge along a track lasting just over a mile
It was the fifth tallest roller coaster on earth when it debuted, reaching a height of 325 feet
The ride has proved a popular attraction, being named the ‘hottest ride in the park’ when Time put Carowinds on its list of ten best amusement parks in the country in 2018
It hit speeds of up to 95 miles per hour and contains an 81-degree plunge along a track lasting just over a mile.
The ride was the fifth tallest roller coaster on earth when it debuted, reaching a height of 325 feet.
Carowinds did not say how long repairing the ride would take.
The rest of the park will remain open.
A spokeswoman for the North Carolina Department of Labor and the supervisor of the department’s Mecklenburg County inspectors did not respond to requests for comment.
