14 year old Tyre Sampson horrifically dies on Orlando ride, possibly due to someone not doing their job properly

[JuicyPlayer]

Yeah I'll never do rides like this never again. I've already forsaken fair rides just because they seem to be put together and disassembled constantly without the safety checks a Disney or a universal would constantly do. I'll share a fair story that confirmed to me that enough was enough.

I was on a little mini roller coaster with my friend and his then 8 year old son. We get seated with other people and we find it odd that people were seated only in the middle and Back side of the coaster. We go through the ride and when we finish I glance into the front seats of the coaster and they had buckets filled with cement sitting on the floor level. It was enough to tell me that I was done with fair rides for good.

 

[Rayne]

Yeah I saw a pic and the kid isn't even remotely strapped in. Pure negligence tbh.

 

[Kastanjemanden]

Im supposed to go to Universal in two months partly because my girlfriend wants to ride the Velocicoaster. Hearing this news makes me pause and think on whether to go on a thrill ride that just opened.

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I get it. It's like when places crash and people are scared to get on them.
These places see millions of visitors every year with very little issues.

This was clearly a operator error based on the recently released photos.

 

[MysteryM]

My heart goes out to this poor kid, can't even imagine what the family is going through.

 

[TooBusyLookinGud]

Not looking at a video of his last seconds.

I gave up rides a long time ago and I'm glad; my last ones were at Six Flags Over Georgia. IIRC, it was the Georgia Cyclone that put that fear in me. I remember waiting to ride it and I heard the coaster coming. When the coaster came by, the structure started shaking because it was made out of wood. I bounced out of line and that was it for me. I used to love riding, but that one event shut me down for good.

 

[Tom Nook]

Awful :(

Condolences to the family.

 

[Calamari41]

Ever since having kids, just looking at these kinds of rides gives me anxiety. I don't know, I think I might be the dad that doesn't let them do this shit. Safety standards seem to be just completely gone these days, not to mention what's happening with short staffing.

You have to imagine the major parks are going to all be tightening their shit up after this. This just simply can't be happening.

It's just unfathomable to consider what this family is going through right now.

 

[ryan13ts]

Poor, poor kid. That's an absolutely horrific way to go. I can't imagine what his family is going through right now. RIP.

 

[Keyouta]

How that ride, which was apparently new, even was able to operate with one of the seats not being locked into place is an insane oversight. These things should not even allow themselves to run like that.

And of course, the staff was completely incompetent.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

RIP young man. :(

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

That poor kid, looks like that harness bar simply couldn't get down around him to secure him in position. Might have felt snug but it couldn't hold him. Not having a center restraint is crazy to me.

 

[MIMIC]

How did this even happen? Was there a malfunction? This is apparently a brand new ride. How would it even operate if all of the harnesses aren't secured?

 

[NPVinny]

I get it. It's like when places crash and people are scared to get on them.
These places see millions of visitors every year with very little issues.

This was clearly a operator error based on the recently released photos.

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Add to that Universal I feel is going to be on their game a little bit more than these guys.

My friends have been on it, they say it's the smoothest coaster they've ever been on and was fun as hell. Go ride it.

 

[NPVinny]

How did this even happen? Was there a malfunction?

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The malfunction was the ride operators starting the thing when this young man was clearly not fully restrained.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

The malfunction was the ride operators starting the thing when this young man was clearly not fully restrained.

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Yep, simple neglect.

I would not be surprised if his weight and color impacted the degree of neglect he received. It's a tale as old as being black in America. Less attention paid to you and your needs. More assumptions made instead of confirmations, which require more effort that nobody wants to spend on you. Further exacerbated by being large/overweight, which brings an additional degree of neglect and indifference towards his safety and care.

 

[KillingJoke]

Yeah, this shit makes no sense. The staff clearly found out the seat wasn't secure. Which means the ride knows this and still continues. Wtf?

 

[BigSkinny0310]

Im supposed to go to Universal in two months partly because my girlfriend wants to ride the Velocicoaster. Hearing this news makes me pause and think on whether to go on a thrill ride that just opened.

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Rides have numerous reduncies to prevent anyone from falling out. The default position on a restraint ok a coaster is locked. Velocicoaster had hydraulic restraints and once you pull them down and they clear, you're not going anywhere. No reason to be hesitant, this is an incredibly rare incident.

 

[JigglesBunny]

Im supposed to go to Universal in two months partly because my girlfriend wants to ride the Velocicoaster. Hearing this news makes me pause and think on whether to go on a thrill ride that just opened.

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Incidents like this are very, very, very, very rare, and they're extremely unlikely (we're talking less than 1%) to ever happen at parks like Disney World or Universal.

The amount of safety checks, systems in place to prevent the safety measures from ever disengaging and the overall integrity of the ride and ride vehicles, as a standard, make coasters and thrill rides in general ridiculously safe. For this to have happened, we're likely talking about a broken ride system, lack of proper inspection or maintenance and operator error. It's truly a freak accident. These are worlds apart from the sort of thing you'd be riding.

I know incidents like this are tragic and devastating, and it's hard to differentiate things in the heat of anxiety, but we're really looking at an incredibly rare incident and very different types of rides. You and your partner will be 100% safe. There's no need to worry. This incident, as tragic as it, is nearly impossible on a major park scale.

 

[echoshifting]

I think it is notable that both in this case and the death on the drop ride in Colorado late last year, the designer skipped a supposedly-redundant restraint mechanism and someone who did not fit the existing restraint properly was allowed to board the ride. In that case it was the shoulder belt, and in this case there is no waist harness. These rides clearly aren't as safe as they should be without both types of restraints. There can't possibly be a good reason for them to not both be standard on all drop rides.

 

[Kernel]

Most of our rides at Six Flags wouldn't even start if the seats weren't closed properly, and this was like 15 years ago. What kind of cheap carney ride was this park operating?

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Maybe that system failed?

although they're supposed to inspect these rides very often.

 

[alstrike]

Most of our rides at Six Flags wouldn't even start if the seats weren't closed properly, and this was like 15 years ago. What kind of cheap carney ride was this park operating?

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Well you should know that this same company (Funtime Handels GmbH) has rides built all over the world including the Skyscreamer and Slingshot in every single Six Flags in the US.

And believe me they're anything but cheap, let's not forget this ride (Freefall) was introduced only last year.

It's all an unfortunate mix of circumstances:

- the harness sensors not working properly?
- the operators not checking on every person before starting the ride
- the kid being a bit too big for that harness?

RIP that kid, it's a horrible way to go (and at 14…)

P.S. In my town 4 people died in a fair ride accident, one of the spinning seat things broke while going at full speed and flew off crashing into the ground and killing them instantly.

 

[Nothing Loud]

Saw the uncensored video.

Spoiler

He flings off and you hear a splat as the camera pans to his flattened body and blood pooled everywhere around him. I can't believe this was captured on video.

Just horrifying

 

[EvilChameleon]

Is this theme park known for jank-ass safety measures or are Disney and Universal rides just that much safer?

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See that's the thing, this is just some dinky park that sprung up around a ferris wheel. Disney and Universal spend millions on ride safety.

 

[Lunchbox]

This my worst fear bro, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

Fucking horrifying

 

[Lone]

His Dad just did an interview today, and the poor kid's friends said he was complaining about the harness as the ride went up, and that he was super scared. When they reached the top, he told his friends to tell his Mom and Dad that he loved them, as he was on vacation with his friend's family.

What an absolutely horrific and traumatic situation.

 

[Moms_Spaghetti]

Spoiler

Saw the uncensored video. He flings off and you hear a splat as the camera pans to his flattened body and blood pooled everywhere around him. I can't believe this was captured on video. Just horrifying

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Really wish you wouldn't describe it in such graphic detail- or perhaps use a spoiler tag or something…

 

[InASnowBoundLand]

Wow. Rest in peace...

 

[Stath]

The descriptions I've read of the video sound... horrific. I don't think anybody should ever willingly choose to watch something like that. Like, if you're reading my comment and considering it, please just don't.

God, I feel so bad for this kid and his family. Rest in peace.

 

[bangai-o]

How did this even happen? Was there a malfunction?

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The video in the op isn't graphic. Op explained that he only shared the beginning portion. It clearly shows the worker yapping it up with 3 people in the front and not paying any attention to the boy in the back.

 

[JuicyPlayer]

Well you should know that this same company (Funtime Handels GmbH) has rides built all over the world including the Skyscreamer and Slingshot in every single Six Flags in the US.

And believe me they're anything but cheap, let's not forget this ride (Freefall) was introduced only last year.

It's all an unfortunate mix of circumstances:

- the harness sensors not working properly?
- the operators not checking on every person before starting the ride
- the kid being a bit too big for that harness?

RIP that kid, it's a horrible way to go (and at 14…)

P.S. In my town 4 people died in a fair ride accident, one of the spinning seat things broke while going at full speed and flew off crashing into the ground and killing them instantly.

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Was that the fair in Ohio?

 

[alstrike]

Was that the fair in Ohio?

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Nah, it happened in Spain.

 

[Psittacus]

I've read enough investigation reports for stuff like this to know that it's almost always because someone got reckless.

 

[J-Skee]

Can't bring myself to watch the video. This is why I never do these free fall rides. Yes, they're most likely safe when operated properly, but I can't handle big drops like that. I can't even imagine what the family is going through right now.

 

[Coyote Starrk]

Accidentally came across the nsfl video on Twitter when I was thinking that I was watching a video on how the ride was supposed to operate normally. It was not until it was far too late that I realized that it was the actual video of the incident itself.


That was traumatizingly graphic and I wish I could scrub my fucking brain clean. I hope the family gets a goddamn Kings Ransom for that bullshit.

 

[Psittacus]

Saw the vid, people are just casually going about their day. The staff don't look too interested, someone that probably got off the ride goes "woo!"

Fucking christ.

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The pack of urgency on the part of literally everyone is fucking wild.

 

[Falcon511]

The video on twitter is horrifying. Not sure why they arent taking action and banning it. You can find it just by searching.

I feel bad for the parents. They loose their son in this senseless accident and people are sharing it online.

 

[FellowTarnished]

I'm terrified of heights so I've never been near a ride like this, but I would have thought the ride wouldn't even operate if the safety bars weren't activated? Shouldn't it just not function at all if the bars aren't locked in place?

 

[adj_noun]

Im supposed to go to Universal in two months partly because my girlfriend wants to ride the Velocicoaster. Hearing this news makes me pause and think on whether to go on a thrill ride that just opened.

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Velocicoaster's been open for almost a year and is in a park that is so far beyond Icon Park's league in terms of virtually any category one could name, including safety, that they're effectively not in the same industry.

You'll be fine.

 

[Mirado]

My heart goes out to the family. I have no experience with ICON park in particular but I've spent a lot of time in the area that falls under Disney's shadow, and in my experience there's plenty of sketchy shit attempting to capitalize on whatever Disney couldn't gobble up with as little investment as possible, both in terms of quality but also maintenance, training, etc. I've seen some carnival/fairgrounds style shit in nearby areas that I absolutely wouldn't go near normally, so I'm sadly not surprised that something tragic like this happened (and honestly a bit shocked we don't see more of it).

What a tragic thing. I know money will do nothing to ease the family's suffering but I hope they can take the park for all its worth if only to send a message to the other places nearby to shore up anything they've undoubtedly been lax on in the name of squeezing out an extra buck.

 

[sfedai0]

I rode a rollercoaster in the '90s with no belts or harness. Just a crossbar that lowered down to your lap height. So as a little kid, it was no where near secure and I literally slid around and hung on for dear life during the entire ride.

 

[Mirado]

I found some weird shit about this ride:

According to a press release from ICON Park, Orlando Free Fall was dreamed up by an overseas company called Funtime.

According to Funtime's website, the original ride was supposed to be portable, only hold 25 riders and reach roughly 260 feet high.

At ICON Park, Orlando Free Fall is 65% taller (at 430 feet high), holds 40 riders (not 25) and is not portable.

News 6 reached out to both of Funtime's offices in Australia and Austria, but we did not get a response.

Funtime rides are operated all over Florida, not just at ICON Park, through a company called the Slingshot Group of Companies.

Investigators with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) closed Orlando Free Fall so they can figure out just how a teen might have fallen from the ride to his death.

This is according to records and statements release by FDACS Friday afternoon, which show both the drop tower and slingshot "super rides" were inspected, approved and permitted Dec. 20, 2021, the same day they opened.

Because they are permanent rides, they weren't due for another inspection until June.

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So the park itself doesn't seem to be operating the ride, but rather a company called the Slingshot Group (yikes) which is some kind of division or subsidiary of a company called Funtime. The ride was heavily modified from its original design to be 65% taller, hold nearly double the amount of people, and was turned into a permanent ride instead of a portable one, which also meant it was only inspected once.

Also, they seem to be cursed:

This is not the first death to happen at ICON Park. Just last year, a 21-year-old man fell to his death while conducting a safety check at StarFlyer, a ride owned and operated by the Slingshot Group of Companies, the same owner of Orlando Free Fall.

The StarFlyer accident was deemed work-related, however, and was investigated by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

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Makes me wonder if there will be a push to change the frequency of inspections or make the process of redesigning a ride more rigorous.

 

[Skoptsie]

I rode a rollercoaster in the '90s with no belts or harness. Just a crossbar that lowered down to your lap height. So as a little kid, it was no where near secure and I literally slid around and hung on for dear life during the entire ride.

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Same, but in the 80s.

I was about 6-7 years old (but tall enough to pass the height check), riding alongside my dad who was a big guy so the bar stopped going down once it sat snug on his sizeable lap. My skinny little legs had so much air between them and the bar that I was getting flung about the whole ride, terrified. Then the adrenaline hit after surviving it made me want another go...

 

[AncientReptileBrain]

separately from the actual tragedy here, who the fuck records something like that and uploads it to the internet. utterly inhuman.

 

[Galkinator]

That's so tragic, damn.
I never do these things due to fear of heights, but yeah if so many rides rely on underpaid teenage workers to guarantee peoples' safety, absolutely fuck that. That needs to change immediately.

 

[THErest]

Ugh, I was hoping this might be fake.

One of my more...disruptive students was showing this video to his neighbors in class yesterday and laughing about it. I had to send him to the office.

 

[Kain-Nosgoth]

It's awful, dying cause someoone didn't botther to do a check for like 5 sec before starting the ting...

RIP

 

[ToddBonzalez]

Ugh, I was hoping this might be fake.

One of my more...disruptive students was showing this video to his neighbors in class yesterday and laughing about it. I had to send him to the office.

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That's some psychopath shit. Jesus.

 

[squeakywheel]

Ugh, I was hoping this might be fake.

One of my more...disruptive students was showing this video to his neighbors in class yesterday and laughing about it. I had to send him to the office.

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Wow that kid should be reported to their parents and get counseling.

 

[Rygar 8Bit]

Ugh, I was hoping this might be fake.

One of my more...disruptive students was showing this video to his neighbors in class yesterday and laughing about it. I had to send him to the office.

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Makes me glad that smartphones didn't come out until I was already out of college. Can't imagine the shit that gets passed around in highschools with them. We had gross shit that could be shown on the net, but at least someone couldn't blindside you with it during class.

 

[THErest]

Wow that kid should be reported to their parents and get counseling.

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I wrote it up, parents will hear of it from admins.