After a rollercoaster was closed when a social media user spotted a huge crack in one of its support pillars, officials have now said the crack was visible more than a week beforehand.
Officials are now saying that the crack in the rollercoaster was visible anywhere between six to 10 days before closing on July 1.
The ride in question, the Fury 325, is one of the main attraction at Carowinds amusements park in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Take a look:
The ride has been dubbed by Carowinds as 'the tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America' which reaches a 'peak height of 325 feet'.
Consisting of three 32-passenger, open-air trains - the ride then plummets to a 'dramatic 81-degree drop'
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Carowinds website continues: "Then, like an angry hornet chasing its target, riders race into a massive 190-foot tall barrel turn and a high-speed S-curve reaching speeds of up to 95 mph. "
Measuring in at 'over 1.25 miles long', the average ride on the Fury 325 is a little over three minutes with the steel coaster crosses both North and South Carolina state lines.
Jeremy Wagner, a visitor to the amusement park, recorded footage of the giga coaster's crack taken when the ride had people on it.
Wagner alerted park officials to the damage and it was then closed.
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A spokesperson for the park said: "Carowinds closed Fury 325 after park personnel became aware of a crack at the top of a steel support pillar.
"The park’s maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed.
"Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process. As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity."
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According to North Carolina Department of Labor Commissioner, Josh Dobson, the crack was allegedly visible for up to 10 whole days before the Fury 325 was closed to thrill-seekers.
Speaking last Friday (7 July), Dobson said: "It looks like maybe six to 10 days prior, some pictures had been taken that show the beginning of the crack, and then by obviously last Friday, the thing was completely severed."
The commissioner added a new certificate of operation will not be issued until he is '100 percent comfortable' in doing so.
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He added: "We’re going to take as long as it takes."
A spokesperson for Carowinds has since issued a further statement on the matter.
It reads: "Following the installation of the new column, and as part of our normal protocol for rides such as Fury 325, we will conduct an extensive series of tests to ensure the safety and integrity of the coaster.
"These will include an accelerometer test that uses sensors to measure any variation in the ride experience. After that, we plan to operate the ride for 500 full cycles, performing tests and inspections of the entire ride throughout that period.
"Once this phase is completed, we will ask B&M and the third-party testing firm to perform a final inspection to ensure the ride exceeds all required specifications."
UNILAD has reached out to Carowinds amusement park for comment.
Topics: US News
Rhiannon Ingle