The rest of the park will remain open.Ĭopyright 2023 by KSAT - All rights reserved. “As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”įury 325 first opened to the public in 2015 and cost approximately $30 million to build, according to news reports.Ĭarowinds did not say how long repairing the ride would take. “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. Video of the ride showed the beam bending, the top of it visibly detached, as cars with passengers whirled by.

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. (AP) – A North Carolina amusement park closed one of its roller coasters Friday after a crack was found on a support beam.Īccording to news reports, Carowinds shut down Fury 325. “I think always subconsciously we think something might happen in the back of our minds, but I also know that they do have people's lives in their hands so they're going to make sure that they do what they're supposed to do on their end.”Įven when amusement park mishaps don't result in injuries, they can still upend vacations and cause headaches for summer fun-seekers.CHARLOTTE, N.C. “As far as any other safety concerns, I don’t believe there are any,” Powers said. “An excellent safety record is in the best interest of the industry, and leaders within it are committed to providing safe and secure attractions for all their guests and visitors.”įor Steven Powers, a resident of Columbia, South Carolina who visited Carowinds Monday with friends, the positive atmosphere of the park outweighs any worries. “Safety is the top priority for the global attractions industry,” Dineen said. That year, more than 1,200 ride-related injuries were reported out of the typical 1.7 billion rides that take place each year across 400 locations in North America. Several Carowinds visitors said they were aware that the ride had been closed for repairs, but they were not deterred from enjoying the park's other attractions.Ī 2021 survey compiled on behalf of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions found “0.9 injuries per million rides,” said Caitlin Dineen, the group's spokesperson. Meanwhile, Carowinds said in a statement that all of its rides, including Fury 325, are inspected daily “to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.” The roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 95 mph and has a peak height of. Tommy Petty, chief of the state Department of Labor’s Amusement Device Bureau, confirmed investigators “already came and went” from Carowinds on Monday but declined to share details about their findings. A crack in the support was found in the Fury 325 giga roller coaster at the Carowinds amusement park in North Carolina. Those answers remained largely unknown as state investigators were on site in Monday morning.

The park, which straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina line, closed the ride late last week as questions swirled about how the crack occurred.

Video footage of the Charlotte-based Carowinds' popular Fury 325 - known as a “Giga coaster” due to its dramatic height of 325 feet (99 meters) - showed a key support beam bending with the top visibly detached as cars packed with unsuspecting passengers whirled by at speeds of up to 95 mph (150 kph). A visible crack in the support beam of a North Carolina roller coaster served as a reminder of the risks that sometimes arise with amusement park rides, particularly as families and adrenaline junkies flock to the attractions in summer.

Fury 325 video