Tragic death in Florida
14-year-old falls from freefall tower and dies
03/28/2022, 15:39 (updated)
The worst thing imaginable happens in an amusement park. A boy falls from the passenger compartment of a 131 meter high freefall tower and dies. It is unclear whether he was properly secured.
A boy fell from a freefall tower at an amusement park in Orlando, Florida. “It appears to be a terrible tragedy,” Sheriff John Mina said at a news conference. His office is investigating with other authorities to determine whether the fatal incident should ultimately be classified as an accident. The boy who died in the accident was called Tire Sampson and, according to Mina, had traveled from the US state of Missouri with a friend’s family.
The sheriff offered his condolences to the boy’s family. “We cannot imagine the pain and anguish his family is going through,” he said. Our prayers and thoughts are with the relatives.
American media reports of one recorded emergency call, during which the caller claimed that the freefall tower staff had not secured the boy with the seat belt. The freefall tower from which the boy fell is one of the tallest in the world at 131 meters. It was initially unclear from what height Sampson fell and whether he died immediately. The boy was finally pronounced dead at the hospital.
The operator of the Freefall Tower said: “We are heartbroken by the incident that cost the life of one of our guests. We express our condolences and our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.” We are working with the responsible authorities on a full investigation. In addition, the Freefall Tower will remain closed until further notice.
Freefall towers are popular attractions at theme parks. They consist of a tower around which a construction with seats for passengers moves upwards. Once at the top, it falls towards the ground in what appears to be free fall. Finally, the passenger carrier is braked again near the ground by a braking device.
(This article was first published on Saturday, March 26, 2022.)