Roller Coaster Incident

[Susan]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ple-board.html

Four people were seriously injured when a rollercoaster carriage at Alton Towers theme park carrying 16 people smashed into a second empty carriage 'at 50mph'.

Visitors to the Staffordshire park said the 14-loop ride had broken down earlier today, before the crash happened.

Witnesses said park bosses had been sending out empty carriages to test the ride before the 16 people involved in the crash were allowed to board.

But the carriage involved in the accident smashed into one of the 'test' carriages which is said to have stopped on the ride.

Rescue efforts are continuing after an air ambulance, a team of paramedics and a fire and rescue crew rushed to the scene.

[Bexi]

i only have the news link, ive heard there are pictures of the crash in more detail but i haven't had any luck finding them.. wondering if anybody has any yet?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-32987550

Alton Towers has been closed while an investigation continues into a "dreadful" rollercoaster accident that left four people with serious injuries.
Two carriages crashed on the Smiler ride at the Staffordshire theme park on Tuesday, leaving some passengers trapped for four-and-a-half hours.
Two men, 27 and 18, a woman, 19, and a girl, 17, have suffered serious leg injuries.
Bosses have announced that the park will also be closed on Thursday.
The BBC's Danny Savage said it was understood some of those on the ride sustained "life-changing injuries".
Senior paramedic, Peter Howell, said: "The women's injuries were worst, both suffered open wounds and damaged legs; the two men had leg and chest injuries but were less seriously hurt."
A fifth person, a man in his 20s with neck and abdominal injuries, was also taken to hospital and another 11 people required medical treatment at the scene.
The 16 were rescued from 25ft (7.6m) up in the air at an angle of about 45 degrees.

[jtonkfan]

Nope, I haven't come across any pics yet but I'd be interested to see them! I was planning on going to Alton Towers on the 28th...

[Steve]

I can find vids but it's nothing gory, this happened in England so gory pics will be extremely hard to come by.

[Watertorque]

It ain't all swings and roundabouts! I am never quite at ease on a rollercoaster ride. Human error is all too prevalent.

[Sharon]

Some images showing those trapped, some unconscious and covered in blood

Only newspaper standard images from here in England, nothing graphic!

[woodsetton]

Some sources are saying that one of those seriously injured has lost a leg. There are mainly lower leg injuries with some broken noses and chipped teeth from the impact of faces on safety bars.

This attraction has a dodgy safety record. During the official opening they had a carriage of journalists as the first to ride it and it broke down with them upside-down. It'll kill Alton Towers if they have to close the ride for good. They have another ride that they periodically closes when it rains as it accelerates very quickly and isn't safe when it gets wet. As you can imagine as it's in England, it is closed a lot.

[MMMeeeeee]

Second victim has also had a partial amputation after multiple surgeries to save the leg

[twayblade]