A roller coaster at an amusement park in Charlotte, NC, was shut down Friday after a visitor spotted a large crack in one of the ride’s pillars.
Carowinds amusement park said it has closed the coaster, known as Fury 325.
Park spokeswoman Courtney McCarry Weber said the ride will be closed as crews make repairs. North Carolina Department of Labor spokeswoman Erin Wilson said Sunday that its Bureau of Elevator and Amusement Equipment “will investigate and plan to be in Carowinds on Monday.”
Jeremy Wagner, who was at the park with his daughter, son, daughter-in-law and his son’s friend on Friday, videotaped the crack.
The footage he recorded shows the pillar briefly separating at the crack, like a coaster car zipping down the track.
“I tried to shoot the video and my hands were shaking because I knew how quickly this would turn into a disaster,” said Mr. Wagner said.
Mr. who purchased his children’s season passes for the park. Wagner said he recorded the damage from the parking lot. Her 14-year-old daughter rode eight times on Friday, she said.
At 325 feet tall, the Fury 325 is one of the main attractions at Carowinds.
It can carry dozens of riders and barrel up to 95 miles per hour during the 3-minute ride. According to the park’s website.
Carowinds opened the ride to the public in March 2015, claiming it is “North America’s longest giga coaster.” Roller coasters that drop from 300 feet to 399 feet are called giga coasters.
Mr. Wagner said she turned in her footage to park officials before leaving Friday but didn’t learn the ride was closed until she got home.
“I’m grateful they did it,” he said. “Even if that’s their No. 1 attraction in the park.”
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the rest of Carowinds was open Saturday and Sunday, according to the park’s website.
