BURLINGTON, Ky. -- In the wake of an Ohio State Fair roller coaster malfunction that killed a Marine recruit and injured seven other people, the Boone County Fair prepared for its opening night with plenty of inspections to make sure attendees could enjoy their night without fear of a similar incident.
"Safety is great business," Russ Kissel, owner of the Kissel Entertainment Midway, said. "If you look at the dollars and cents of it, lawsuits cost a lot of money and nobody wants to spend that if you're just looking at the business side. But the moral side, (skimping) is a terrible thing."
Ride manufacturer KMG said Sunday it believed "excessive corrosion" was behind the malfunction on the Ohio State Fair's Fire Ball. One of the ride's arms broke off mid-swing, launching its riders through the air and into a devastating collision with the ground. Tyler Jarrell, 18, was killed; four of the other victims, including his girlfriend, remain hospitalized.
Kissel and midway manager Nate Seibert said they made sure Nemesis, a popular KMG-made ride in their stable, underwent a six-hour, "near-surgical" examination by state inspectors to ensure it was safe to ride. It sees the most riders, Seibert said, so its safety outlook needed to be immaculate.
During the off-season, it even undergoes examination with sonar and x-rays to uncover possible defects that aren't visible to the eye.
"It will be the number one hit for all the kids," he said. "And probably have the most people throwing up."
As for the corrosion that afflicted the malfunctioning Fire Ball, Seibert said that was likely due to poor upkeep and that no ride should remain in operation in that state.
"It never should get further than just a little surface rust," he said.
