North Carolina theme park roller coaster closed after huge CRACK spotted in mainstay
Final Destination vibes! North Carolina theme park roller coaster closed after huge CRACK spotted in mainstay
- Carowinds shut down Fury 325 Friday after riders enjoyed it as usual
- Video from the ride showed the beam bending, the top of it visibly loose
- It took days for the park to stop the ride after the crack was first noticed
A North Carolina amusement park closed one of its roller coasters on Friday after a huge crack was discovered in a support beam.
According to news reports, Carowinds retired the Fury 325 Friday night after riders enjoyed it all day on schedule.
The park’s website advertises the ride as the “tallest, fastest, longest giga roller coaster in North America” entering both North Carolina and South Carolina.
Video from the ride showed the beam bending, the top visibly loose, as cars carrying passengers whiz by for the past week.
Despite the park saying it inspects the rides daily, it took days after the crack was first noticed to close it.
A North Carolina amusement park closed one of its roller coasters on Friday after a huge crack was discovered in 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 extensive safety protocols, all rides, including the Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper operation and structural integrity.”
At least two park visitors reported the crack to officials, the Charlotte Observer.
A resident posted a photo on Facebook on June 24 showing the crack during her visit to the park.
A spokesperson for Carowinds did not respond to questions about the crack that was noticed long before the ride’s closure.
A former paramedic told authorities Friday after seeing the crack as he waited to pick up his kids in the parking lot, according to WBTV.
Fury 325 first opened to the public in 2015 and cost about $30 million to build, according to news reports.
It proved to be a popular attraction and was named the “hottest ride in the park” when Time listed Carowinds as one of the top ten theme parks in the country in 2018.
Fury 325 first opened to the public in 2015 and cost about $30 million to build, according to news reports.
The ride reaches speeds of up to 95 miles per hour and includes an 81-degree dip over a track just over a mile long
It was the fifth tallest roller coaster in the world when it debuted, reaching a height of 325 feet
The ride has proven to be a popular attraction and was named the “hottest ride in the park” when Time listed Carowinds as one of the top ten theme parks in the country in 2018.
It reached speeds of up to 95 miles per hour and includes an 81-degree dive along a track of just over a mile.
The ride was the fifth tallest roller coaster in the world when it debuted, reaching a height of 325 feet.
Carowinds did not say how long it would take to repair the ride.
The rest of the park will remain open.
A North Carolina Department of Labor spokeswoman and the department’s Mecklenburg County inspectors supervisor did not respond to requests for comment.