- According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, a 14-year-old kid who died after falling from the Orlando Free Fall attraction at ICON Park has been identified (OCSO).
- Witnesses claimed that a 14-year-old child had fallen from the Orlando Free Fall attraction just after 11 p.m. on Thursday, according to investigators.
- On Friday, Orange County Sheriff John Mina revealed the identity of the kid as Tyre Sampson during a news conference.
- “It seems like a horrible tragedy,” Mina added. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.”
- He also claimed that the adolescent was on a family vacation from Missouri.
- ICON Park issued the following statement on Friday night:
- “The tragedy surrounding Tyre Sampson has left the ICON Park family in mourning this evening. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones. ICON Park is devoted to providing a safe and exciting environment for families to spend valuable time together.
- “We are working closely with law enforcement and regulators and will do so in the future.”
- Spectrum News 13 received a video that seems to show Sampson falling out of his seat as the ride descended from the 430-foot tower.
- In December of last year, the Free Fall, a record-breaking ride, opened its doors to the public. A vehicle carries passengers to great heights before plummeting 45 feet to the earth at 75 mph. It was at this point when the teenager slipped out of the seat.
- The inquiry is still “in its very early stages,” according to the OCSO. After the fall, Sampson was sent to the hospital, where he died of his injuries, according to deputies.
- “It looks to be a tragic tragedy,” Mina said in a news conference on Friday, stressing that his agency’s responsibility was to ascertain whether or not the occurrence was accidental. At the moment, no charges have been filed.
- The Orlando Free Fall’s director of sales and marketing, John Stine, arrived at ICON Park early Friday morning and confirmed that the youngster was safely strapped into the ride’s seat.
- “It’s true,” responds the (he was secured in the seat). That’s all we know at the moment. In order to ensure the safety of our guests, we run the ride with all of the safety procedures in mind, and everything is in place and ready to use.
- Only a harness that pulls down over the rider’s chest is used to keep riders safe on the Free Fall roller coaster at ICON Park.
- On a ride like this, the over-the-shoulder restraints are common, but there is also a strap that links at the bottom of the restraint that snaps into the seat, like a seatbelt. “Having a backup safety device is a good idea in general.”
- Martin explains that some rides even include a third safety feature, such as a lap belt. The drop ride at ICON Park features only one, because there is no uniform, statewide legislation mandating anything else.
- According to Martin, the majority of amusement park rides are self-regulatory, while Florida is one of the few states with “quite excellent” ride inspection regimes.
- The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) is responsible for monitoring amusement rides in Florida, and legislation was approved in 2020 to expand that department’s authority over them (DACS). The maximum penalties DACS may impose on amusement park operators has been doubled from $2,500 to $10,000 under the law. DACS may sanction park owners $10,000 or more if a violation leads in severe injury or death.
- It is now a criminal in Florida to refuse to testify to a subpoena issued by the Department of Children and Families (DCAS).
- Thirteen states presently do not have any laws in place for amusement park rides, which is a significant concern given the absence of national oversight, Martin added.
- “This lack of control is like a fox protecting the henhouse,” Martin remarked. In my opinion, this is a pity, especially because no two states or amusement parks have the same regulations. Although most individuals adhere to consensus norms, this is not a law.”
- It is also usual practise to construct rides that can sustain people up to 180 pounds and youngsters up to 90 pounds.
In his opinion, the heavier a rider is, the greater the negative G force created.
This is why we’re looking into it,” Stine told Spectrum News 13: “If you had negative 2 Gs, take 200 pounds and double it by 2 and that’s going to be 400 pounds of pressure that are pressing on that ride and everybody in that ride.”
