Theme park is cited in coaster death

July 23, 2011|Associated Press

BUFFALO - Operator error was to blame for an amputee Iraq war veteran’s deadly fall from a roller coaster and the amusement park was cited for having improperly trained workers, state officials said yesterday.

Labor Department investigators found the Ride of Steel coaster at Darien Lake Theme Park & Resort was mechanically sound and safety devices were working properly when Army Sgt. James Hackemer, who had lost both his legs to a roadside bomb, was lifted from his seat near the end of the ride and thrown to the ground on July 8.

The 29-year-old father of two died of blunt force trauma.

State investigators said operators did not follow rules posted at the ride’s entrance, which require that riders have both legs. A seatbelt and metal bar restrain riders by the legs, shins, and lap.

The Labor Department, which has regulatory authority over amusement park rides, said it issued two violations to Darien Lake: one for not properly training the ride’s operators on the safety and operations restrictions and the second because operators were unfamiliar with the coaster’s safety requirements.

The amusement park, located between Buffalo and Rochester, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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