02 July 2023 , 15:18
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An eagle-eyed punter made a chilling discovery when they saw a massive crack on a high-speed rollercoaster while passengers flew past at breakneck speed high above the ground.
Jeremy Wagner was visiting the Carowinds amusement park in North Carolina when he saw a crack in a support pillar on the Fury 325 ride.
A stunned Jeremy, who captured footage of the crack, said the ride was "still running" when they left the park and reports indicate other visitors had been posting about it on social media for a week before the ride closed.
He said on Facebook: "I hope they shut this ride down after I reported this video at guest services. It moves two to four feet.
He added: "It was still running when we left. [We] got confirmation they shut it down for investigation."
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(Facebook/Jeremy Wagner)The support structure on the ride can be seen moving as thrill seekers on the ride race past, seemingly unaware of the dangerous problem.
The video has now been viewed over 350,000 times.
Shocked viewers were alarmed by the moving structure and the crack and one person commended Jeremy for saving "some lives" by videoing the problem.
One person commented: "Watch it move when they come through!"
Carowinds said the ride was closed as soon as officials became aware of the danger (Facebook/Jeremy Wagner)
The ride will remain closed until safety checks are complete (Facebook/Jeremy Wagner)Another person questioned: "Why are they allowing people to still ride it in this video?"
A spokesperson for Carowinds said the $30million thrill ride would be closed until safety checks were complete, but the rest of the park remained open.
Carowinds said daily inspections take place on Fury 325, but have not commented on if the crack was reported in the days before the ride was finally closed.
Passengers can be seen flying past (Facebook/Jeremy Wagner)"Carowinds closed Fury 325 after park personnel became aware of a crack at the top of a steel support pillar," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"The park’s maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed.
"Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process. As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity."
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Thrill seekers on Fury 325 enjoy speeds of up to 96 miles and hour (Facebook)The Charlotte Observer said two park visitors reported the crack to officials.
Inspectors from the North Carolina Department of Labour’s Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau are due to inspect the ride on Monday.
Passengers on Fury 325 enjoy speeds of up to 95 miles an hour along its two-kilometre course.
The ride is famous for being just one of seven "Giga" coasters in the world due to a 300-foot drop.
According to King's Island, an amusement park in Ohio, Giga coasters need to feature a drop between 300 and 399 feet.