Fatal Roller Coaster Accident at Expoland in Japan

[ChuckR]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270154,00.html

TOKYO ? A roller coaster traveling at up to 46 miles per hour hit a guardrail at an amusement park in western Japan on Saturday, killing one person and injuring 21 others, officials and a media report said Saturday.

At least two people suffered serious injuries, Kyodo News agency reported.

Osaka police official Kaoru Tanaka said a woman was killed, but it was not immediately clear how seriously the 21 others were hurt.

The accident occurred at Expoland in Osaka, which is 255 miles west of Tokyo. It happened amid Japan's "Golden Week" holiday, when many families pack amusement parks and other tourist sites.

The park was closed following the accident, according to park official Kazuhiro Shiba, adding that officials were investigating. The stand-up roller coaster could hold up to 24 passengers and travel at up to 47 miles per hour, Shiba said.

Kyodo said the roller coaster hit a guardrail.

Expoland opened as the amusement zone for the 1970 International Exposition held in Osaka.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070505p2a00m0na012000c.html

SUITA, Osaka -- A woman died when the seats of the roller coaster she was riding in fell off at the Expoland amusement park here on Saturday afternoon, police said.

Three seats fell off the rollercoaster at about 1 p.m. An adult female died after being thrown violently against a fence. At least 40 people -- including two other passengers whose seats came off -- were injured, and 31 of them were rushed to hospital.

Local firefighters set up a rescue point at the amusement park and are treating some of the wounded.

The roller coaster runs at up to 75 kilometers per hour on a 1,050-meter-long, 40-meter-high course. (Mainichi)

[PcMan]

I seen this the other day I was going to post but didn't want to get people scared
but thats a freak accident.

[Dubya91]

Togo...*sigh*

[David Jr]

This has less to do with Togo than the park not conducting regular off-season maintenance. The axles had not been replaced in 15 years.

[PcMan]

15 years wow 
over here in the States it seems they breakdown trains almost yearly

[coastermom]

How sad for this poor womans family. How is it that the park didn't change the axles in 15 years?? amazing how freak accidents can happen like this .

[ChuckR]

I saw that they were going to dissamble the trains after the current Holiday over there passes.

[overlord]

So what exactly happened? The train just tipped over or something?

[ChuckR]

You see, if you read the articles Clint then you will know. The wheel axle broke on that particular car causing it to tip sideways and thus causing it to smash along the walkway next to the track.