Tragedy struck at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, Ohio, last night, one person killed and at least seven injured when the Fire Ball ride suffered a major malfunction.

Riders were flung from their seats, and an 18-year-old man died after impact a full 15 metres away.

Huff Post SA below:

As seen in a bystander’s video, a part of the mechanical ride came loose as the fast-moving ride swung, sending a carriage of passengers flying into the air.

Three of the injured remained hospitalized [sic] late Wednesday in critical condition, according to The Associated Press. The victims ranged in age from 13 to 41. Their names had not been released as of late Wednesday night.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich called it “the worst tragedy in the history of the fair,” adding, “it’s a very, very sad night for all of us.” The governor ordered all rides at the fair shut down until each one could be inspected.

Warning – this one is disturbing:

More on the ride and what went wrong:

The Fire Ball is a mechanical ride that swings and spins passengers back and forth, according to Amusements of America, the carnival company in charge of the fair’s rides. The Fire Ball can swing passengers 40 feet above the midway while spinning at 13 revolutions per minute…

State inspectors are responsible for making sure that each ride is constructed properly and for checking the ride’s safety systems and restraint mechanisms before, during and after the ride is set up, according to the newspaper.

Dave Vartorella, the Ohio State Fair’s chief ride inspector, said he and a four-person crew inspected and signed off on the Fire Ball on Wednesday…

You can bet someone is going to be held accountable for this one.

[source:huffpostsa]