North Carolina roller coaster to receive new support pillar after crack discovered
Carowinds, an amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, will be replacing a support pillar on a ride after a video of a crack in the roller coaster's column went viral last week.
According to a press release, the maintenance team and the roller coaster's manufacturer have been inspecting the Fury 325 roller coaster since July 1st.
The inspection revealed a crack in the column, which was caused by a weld line defect.
Carowinds is working with Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers Inc. to remove and replace the existing support column. The new column is being fabricated by B&M and is expected to be delivered to the park next week.
The amusement park shut down its roller coaster after a man spotted a large crack in one of its support beams, visibly tilting the pillar out of place.
Jeremy Wagner, who was visiting the park with his family and friends on June 30, recorded a video of the crack, posting it on Facebook, saying that the beam appeared to have moved 2 to 4 feet when the coaster sped past it.
In an interview with CNN, he said that he reported the issue to the guest services but they were just “nonchalant.”
“I feel there is no urgency in any of the employees,” Wagner said, noting that even after giving them a copy of the video, the guest services person just walked off.
Wagner hoped that the amusement park shut the ride down because it was still operational when they left.
He said he called the fire department to notify them of the issue.
Right after receiving reports, Carowinds shut down the Fury 325 for repairs of the steel support pillar. The ride is to be closed indefinitely due to this until the issue is resolved.
“Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process,” the park said in a statement to WCNC Charlotte. “As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”
Fury 325 is advertised on the park’s website as the “tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America with a peak height of 325 feet. It reaches up to 95 mph in speed that straddles North and South Carolina state lines.
It is one of the park’s main attractions that can carry dozens of people for more than three minutes.