Credit: Oakwood Theme ParkAn official investigation concluded this week, more than a year after a man was thrown from the Treetops Roller Coaster at Oakwood Theme Park. The father was airlifted from the South Wales theme park and faced critical injuries.
The accident took place on October 23, 2022. Witnesses reported hearing “horrific screams” and calls to stop the thrill attraction before noticing the man on the ground.
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“I shouted for the ride to stop and staff were clearly panicking to get it stopped,” a rider, Sean Hayes, told Wales Online. “It went on for a bit before it grinded to a halt. We had to evacuate the ride on a bend and staff were present to help people off.”
As paramedics tended to the man, employees evacuated all guests from the Pembrokeshire amusement park. Officials stated that the Welsh Ambulance Service and Wales Air Ambulance collaborated to rush the victim to the hospital but never identified him or updated the public on his recovery.
Oakwood Theme Park shut down through spring 2023 in the wake of the tragedy. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigators took pieces of the Treetops Rollercoaster, which remained closed even after the Wales theme park re-opened. The investigators announced their findings on Thursday.
According to Wales Online, the HSE could not find evidence of fault in the October 2022 incident at Oakwood Park. Both the victim and attraction operator were notified of the authority’s decision.
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“We could not identify any fault which might have caused the incident and no further HSE action will be taken,” HSE inspector Joy Gunning said.
Oakwood Theme Park is closed for winter and plans to announce the start of its 2024 season later this month. The theme park doesn’t list the Treetops Rollercoaster on its website.
Should theme parks face repercussions for accidents like the one on the Treetops ride? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.