Credit: Dutch WonderlandA child was reportedly struck by a knife in a bizarre accident at a theme park.
Theme park accidents get a lot of bad press, mainly because they’re so rare. Millions of people attend theme parks and amusement parks every year without incident. While the number one priority of every attraction is to entertain Guests, it’s backed up by strict safety regulations to ensure every ride is a seamless experience for all.
Sometimes, however, fate can intervene. Recent high-profile incidents at theme parks include the (now fixed) crack that appeared in a support beam of Fury 325 at Carowinds, which was only resolved after a Guest spotted it while the roller coaster was in operation. A Guest was also tragically killed at Swedish theme park Grona Lund in June when a train of its Jetline roller coaster derailed mid-ride.
Of course, these are the major incidents. We’ve also reported on smaller incidents, such as a piece flying off a roller coaster at Dollywood, where it hit a child in the face.
Related: Another Piece Has Fallen From a Roller Coaster at Cedar Point
Now, a similar incident has reportedly occurred at a theme park in Pennsylvania. On August 12, police were dispatched to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster County following reports that a pre-teen girl was injured at the Park.
According to Penn Live, witnesses told police that the girl was standing in the Park – not in line for the roller coaster in question – when a “utility knife” fell off a roller coaster mid-ride and struck her head.
By the time police arrived, the girl and her family had reportedly left the theme park after the accident. It’s unknown whether the knife belonged to a Guest on the ride or came from somewhere else, but a criminal investigation is not ongoing.
A Reddit user later made a post describing the incident in which they claimed that “someone had brought a pocket knife with them to Dutch Wonderland and unfortunately it came out of their pocket on the Sky Princess [now known as Kingdom Coaster] striking a child in the head, causing them to bleed and require stitches.”
They also claimed that the blade wasn’t exposed at the time and that the injury was caused by the force of the handle hitting the child’s head.
A representative for Dutch Wonderland’s parent company Palace Entertainment said that the Park’s employees responded to the incident at 5.15 p.m. and that first aid treated the young Guest, who then chose to go home.
Dutch Wonderland has a strict no-weapons policy. As stated on its website, “weaponry of any kind is strictly prohibited,” including “knives and other cutting instruments.” However, unlike theme parks such as those at Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, it doesn’t utilize metal detectors at the Park entrance.
While getting struck by a falling knife doesn’t exactly scream ‘good luck,’ it’s fortunate that the blade wasn’t out and the Guest’s injuries were easily treatable. PSA: next time you go to a theme park, leave the heavy metal objects at home.
Have you ever been injured at a theme park? Share your story with Inside the Magic in the comments!