Illinois Suspends 12 Amusement Rides After Ohio Accident

Multiple news outlets reported earlier this month that the state of Illinois has suspended 12 amusement rides after a fatal accident at an Ohio fair. In Columbus Ohio, an 18-year-old man died after he was thrown into the air and landed about 50 feet away from the swinging and spinning amusement park ride called the Fire Ball. Seven other people were injured as a result of the accident.

In response to this amusement park accident, the Illinois department of labor has decided to suspend 12 rides throughout the states. All 12 rides are manufactured by by KMG, the same Dutch company that makes the Fire Ball.

One of the suspended rides was set to be used at the DuPage County Fair outside of Chicago. The Dupage County Fair commissioner stated the following in response to the state’s decision to suspend on of their rides: All rides have to be inspected by the state, and they get certified and a sticker on them that they have passed inspection through the state. They are inspected each and every time they’re set up at any other event that goes on, usually by the municipality, the fire department in that area. In our case, here, we add one more layer to that. We get both the city and fire department, and then also an inspection team that’s independent.”

The question remains if the current inspection protocol in Illinois is enough to certify rides? Are there steps the state should implement, such as the independent inspection done by the DuPage fair? I would recommend both state and independent inspections be required before certification for state use. Hopefully this will prevent what happened in Ohio.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in an Illinois amusement park accident or other personal injury, call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076