The “Vortex”, a popular carnival ride at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, appears to have gone haywire and injured multiple people.
Reports indicate that people exiting the ride were hurt when the Vortex suddenly started up again, without warning. Five people were hurt and two of those victims have reportedly suffered “serious injuries.”
The injured Vortex riders’ ranged in age from 14 to 39, according to the Virginian Pilot. All five victims were admitted to WakeMed for treatment.
Below is a video news report discussing the accident:
Numerous questions remain unanswered about this terrible accident. Did the ride suddenly start up because of a technical malfunction, or did the operator accidently hit a switch or button? Witnesses told reporters that they saw carnival operators working on the ride before the night it suddenly started up causing injuries, according to wbtw.com.
Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims involved in this carnival accident. Just imagine, in the blink of an eye, an enjoyable evening at a state fair turned into a nightmare.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a serious accident occurred at the North Carolina State Fair. Back in 2002, a ride operator was killed when he was struck by a ride while it was still in operation.