rollercoaster crash at alton towers

[SoljaBonita]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32980354?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_breaking&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=icf

[PattiODoors]

Oh no! Fingers crossed for people involved.

[morethanpotatoprints]

OP, you're link isn't working.
Has the accident just happened, i haven't heard anything yet/

[PattiODoors]

bbc

[SoljaBonita]

sorry not sure what happened with my link.

[AuntieStella]

The accident on The Smiler happened just after 2pm on what is described as a low section of track. 16 people trapped, and they are building a platform to get them off. Paramedics in attendance.

The area around the ride has been evacuated, but the park hasn't been closed totally, but people choosing to leave anyhow.

[DragonWithAGirlTattoo]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32980354

Four people have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on a ride at Alton Towers in Staffordshire.
Sixteen people were on one carriage of the Smiler ride, the other was empty.
The resort said their first aid staff were on the scene and emergency crews were building a platform to help reach those on the ride.

[GooseyLoosey]

The reports are that there are 4 seriously injured. I was on that ride last week confidently assuring the dcs that they would be fine and the park operated to the highest safety standards.

As I understand it, one carriage hit an empty one. This should not be possible and a similar crash many years ago at Alton Towers was held to be operator error. I was thinking that they were all just young kids operating the stuff and I hope they had a lot of training.

Very best wishes to those who were hurt.

[gallicgirl]

That's unusual. Safety is normally excellent and their response plans are well rehearsed.

Hopefully everyone is OK.

[WardenessOfTheNorth]

Argh! My DB and SIL are there today and they won't answer their bloody phones!

[gallicgirl]

I'm sure they're just too busy having fun.

[WardenessOfTheNorth]

Really hope so. My little DB is ridiculously accident prone

[PurpleDaisies]

Mobile phone coverage is terrible there. I'm sure they're fine but totally get why you're worried. Hope you hear something soon.

[queentroutoftrouts]

The bbc page has now been updated again, apparently some riders have been rescued by air ambulance. It lists the problems since starting and in the short time there have been multiple accidents with track and wheels falling off. I think they should close it until further notice and work on a permanent solution before somebody loses there life.

[AuntieStella]

SKY are carrying eyewitness accounts that there was a problem on it this morning and it was closed for a while, but reopened after checks and a test ride with an empty carriage.

The investigation into causes will not begin until all passengers are rescued, so no way of telling yet if that was related or coincidence.

[seaoflove]

According to that BBC story, this particular ride has had a LOT of issues since opening. It will be interesting to see if Alton Towers have failed in their H&S obligations.

Really hope all who have been hurt are going to be OK.

[EssexMummy123]

"SKY are carrying eyewitness accounts that there was a problem on it this morning and it was closed for a while, but reopened after checks and a test ride with an empty carriage." according to the bbc that was the problem, the empty carriage stopped and the next one with people in it crashed into it.

[LMGTFY]

I've never heard of a rollercoaster with such a bad record as this one. Hope everyone is ok.

[AuntieStella]

I don't think that we can be sure that the test carriage was same empty carriage as the one in the collision. Especially not if the ride was running normally after that for a while before the incident.

[seaoflove]

It sounds like the ride was closed due to a fault, then they sent an empty carriage around, which got stuck. It was that stalled carriage which was then crashed into by an occupied carriage. That's dreadful.

[AuntieStella]

Ambulance service confirming four people transferred to hospital, twelve still being treated at the scene (not clear if still on the ride).

They mentioned four teenagers (two male, two female) which I think refers to those taken to hospital, and leg injuries.

[Northernlurker]

Dh took my older two and some other family members on this a month ago. I hope the injuries aren't too bad.

[404UsernameNotFound]

NC.
Not at all surprised. I have friends/relatives who work there. It's unreliable at best and dangerous at worst. Bits of track, wheels and bolts have sheared off. It was only a matter of time.
It being closed isn't an usual occurrence at all.

Thoughts with everyone involved.

[Viviennemary]

The whole place should be shut down. They always seem to be having accidents there and that's probably only the ones you hear about. It's nothing but money money money.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

We went on Smiler last week. The staff came across as well-trained and conscientious. The park as a whole seems safety conscious: on Air (another ride) there was a query about my harness and they didn't start the ride until a member of staff had come and checked it in person.

I feel sorry for those teenagers today and hope they recover well from their injuries.

[404UsernameNotFound]

Oh the staff are conscientious, but closing rides cost money. Ultimately the staff do what they can.
It's a ride I'd never go on and I suspect AT will have many questions to answer about the history of this ride.