The Yomiuri Shimbun
A roller coaster partly derailed at Expoland amusement park in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, killing a woman and injuring 19 people Saturday, the Osaka prefectural police said.
The second car of the Fujin-Raijin II roller coaster derailed and leaned outward, apparently causing Yoshino Ogawara, 19, of Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture, to slam into a handrail along the track at about 1 p.m., the police said.
The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, and the park was closed down immediately after the accident. A 20-year-old woman was seriously hurt, the police said.
According to the police, the passengers were left trapped on the elevated track.
Fujin-Raijin II is a steel tracked stand-up roller coaster that is 1,050 meters long and about 40 meters at its highest point, and runs at a maximum speed of 75 kph. The roller coaster comprises six cars, each of which can hold four passengers.
According to the police, the axle shaft of the second car broke about 200 meters before the end of the run, but the roller coaster ran for about another 100 meters before the second car derailed and the coaster came to a stop. The wheels of the second car came off and were discovered on the ground.
In February, the amusement park took the roller coaster apart for inspection. However, it said it did not inspect the integrity of the axle shaft because there was no garage available at the time. The park subsequently postponed the inspection until May 15.
The police suspect improper safety management may have led to the accident, and are investigating the amusement park on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death and injury.
(May. 6, 2007)
kiken ya
that sucks.