Changes Made By ICON Park Operator Left Attraction “Unsafe” To Ride, New Report Finds

in Theme Parks

Attractions at ICON Park Orlando

Credit: ICON Park Orlando

More information has just come out regarding the tragic ICON Park accident in Florida.

icon park freefall and the wheel
Credit: ICON Park

Related: Florida Lawmakers Going After Theme Parks “Loophole” After ICON Park Tragedy

The shocking and horrific death of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson at ICON Park continues to evoke widespread confusion, anger, and sadness. It has been two weeks now since the teen fell to his death while riding the Orlando FreeFall amusement ride in ICON Park and as state and police investigations into the tragedy remain ongoing, evidence continues to mount exposing possible recklessness in the ride’s operation.

The attraction, called Orlando FreeFall, opened in December 2021, priding itself on being the tallest free-standing drop tower on Earth. The ride would take up to 30 Guests 400 feet into the air before dropping them at about 75 mph.

Family arriving at ICON Park Orlando
Credit: ICON Park Orlando

Related: Guests Dangle Hundreds of Feet in the Air During Scary Ride Malfunction

Just today a new report came out from Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, indicating that the ride operator made adjustments resulting in the ride being “unsafe”. You can check out the report below as shared by digital journalist Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1):

The Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services has released a report by the third party engineering firm it hired to inspect the Orlando FreeFall. The firm found the operator of the drop tower made manual adjustments to sensors on the ride “resulting in it being unsafe.”

As reported by WSWS, the family is gearing up to take legal action against the park. Attorneys representing Tyre’s parents visited ICON Park Tuesday morning and said the family plans on filing a negligence and liability lawsuit in the coming weeks against the companies that are tied to the boy’s death.

Tyre Sampson, was visiting Orlando from Missouri on spring break when he, tragically, fell from his seat last week on March 25. While Haggard did not specify why or when the seats were adjusted, he told News 6 investigator Merris Badcock that Sampson had sat in one of the adjusted seats the night he fell from the ride.

We recently wrote about the ICON Park incident, noting that the seats on the attraction had recently been adjusted before the accident.

As more information comes out, we will continue to monitor this heartbreaking situation.

in Theme Parks

Comments Off on Changes Made By ICON Park Operator Left Attraction “Unsafe” To Ride, New Report Finds