“The party is at the bottom of the shaft.”
A six-year-old girl has died on a theme park ride in Colordao.
The child was killed while riding the Haunted Mine Drop at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on Sunday.
“An incident occurred this evening, September 5, at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on the Haunted Mine Drop ride that resulted in a fatality,” the park wrote on its Facebook page on Monday night.
“Authorities and emergency personnel have been dispatched and an investigation is in progress. Out of respect and concern for all parties involved, we will not have further comment until all details have been confirmed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved,” it concluded, adding the park would remain closed Monday and Tuesday.
The Haunted Mine Drop sees seated riders plunge 110ft into Iron Mountain in a simulated freefall, reaching 4Gs of acceleration. Riders must be at least 46 inches tall.
All park visitors are also required to sign a release of liability waiver before going on any rides or attractions.
Authorities have not said what caused the as-yet unnamed girl; however recording of the 911 call obtained by CBS hears the dispatcher request “EMS at Glenwood Caverns for a party that fell out of the shaft ride.” She adds: “The party is at the bottom of the shaft now.”
A featurette from Coaster Studios highlighting the ride shows riders wearing lap restraints, but no over the shoulder restrains:
The young victim’s family had been visiting the theme park from Colorado Springs.
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the incident was under investigation, as did the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
In 2018, the Haunted Mine Drop was voted USA TODAY’s “Best New Amusement Park Attraction of 2017.”
The park, opened in 1999, bills itself as “America’s only mountain-top theme park.”
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