On Sunday, a swing ride at the Norwalk Oyster Festival in Connecticut faulted and caused 12 young passengers to collide. The ride, called the Zumer, halted in mid-air as a result of some sort of mechanical failure. The ride consists of swings attached to metal arms, which spin riders in a circular motion. Police say a total of 18 people, mostly children, were injured.
“It was a big boom, a big crash, three or four times over,” said Deyo Ello in report on News 12. “They slammed into the base of [the ride], and then you heard a whole bunch of screaming.” Shuan Marsh, who witnessed the incident, described the scene of “parents ripping out the gate just trying to get to their kids.” Twelve children and one adult were taken to the hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.
As would be expected, questions are being raised as to the amount of caution being exercised in the inspection, set-up and operation of the rides. Stewart Amuseument, which owns and runs the festivals rides, said that state officials inspected the ride on Friday. Richard Stewart, president of the company, stated, “it was a mechanical failure. It never happened before. We hope it never happens again.”
