Elevate Arena
Elevate Arena
Elevate Arena
Leisure Opportunities
Job search
Job Search
see all jobs
Latest job opportunities

UK rides reopen following death of man on similar US attraction in Ohio

A number of rides at theme parks in the UK have reopened after being shut down by the Health and safety executive (HSE) following an accident on a similar attraction in the US which left one dead and seven injured.

Eighteen-year-old Tyler Jarrell died at the Ohio State Fair on 26 July after being thrown into the air by the Fire Ball spinning pendulum ride, which broke apart while in operation.

The HSE confirmed in a statement that five similar KMG Afterburner rides in the UK were subject to a prohibition enforcement notice, meaning that they were taken out of operation.

“There are six machines of this version operating in UK which were all thoroughly inspected within the last 12 months in line with agreed procedures,” said the HSE statement.

The rides closed as a result of the notice include those at Pleasurewood Hills in East Anglia, Ryan Crow Amusements in the North East, Coney Beach Fair in South Wales, Manning's Amusements based in Hertfordshire, and Brean Theme Park in Somerset. Lightwater Valley in North Yorkshire also closed its ride immediately following the Ohio accident. Those can now reopen.

"As a precaution we proactively took the decision to temporarily stop operating the ride until it had undergone a comprehensive inspection and re-testing procedure," said Lightwater Valley in a statement to Attractions Management.

"Although there are fundamental differences between our permanent ride and the travelling version, which was involved in the tragic accident in the US, our ride engineers have fully implemented all the manufacturer’s new recommendations and carried out all updated test procedures for the ride.

"The ride has now been fully checked and approved for operation by external inspectors and the HSE has been notified and have given their approval for the ride to re-open."

In a separate statement, Pleasurewood Hills general manager, Adam Noble, said: “The manufacturers inspected the ride in America and understood what had gone wrong with it. They shared with us the instructions as to what we needed to change to make sure the ride was safe.

“We complied with that and used our own engineers and ADIPS inspectors. They said it was absolutely fine and cleared it to reopen.”

The remaining operators have all confirmed the reopening of the remaining rides following HSE assessment.

The ride model in question swings like a pendulum from side to side while spinning its passengers. Ohio’s Governor John Kasich has called for a full investigation into the tragedy. Following its own investigation, the ride’s designers KMG said that the accident on the 18-year-old ride was the result of "excessive corrosion on the interior of the gondola support beam," which "dangerously reduced the beam's wall thickness over the years."

Sign up for FREE ezines, news alerts & magazines
Related news

Health and Safety Executive releases new Smiler images following Alton Towers guilty plea

26 Apr 2016
Following the guilty plea from Merlin Entertainments related to last year’s Smiler rollercoaster crash at ...
A number of rides at theme parks in the UK have reopened after being shut down by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following an accident on a similar attraction in the US which left one dead and seven injured.
TAW,VAT
THUMB20781_977812.jpg

More News

1 - 15 of 69,578
03 Jun 2026
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day (GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and ... More
03 Jun 2026
Lithuanian care operator Addere Care has launched a “wellness care hospital” in Vilnius. It's the company’s second Lithuanian site, following a hospital in Trakai, but ... More
03 Jun 2026
Australia’s fast-growing fitness network, Viva Leisure, is adding a low-cost gym brand to its already extensive portfolio. The Zoo Fit rollout starts  in July with ... More
03 Jun 2026
Speedflex has launched a strength training programme for 10 to 16-year-olds, to make it safer, more inclusive and more engaging. Built on the Speedflex training ... More
01 Jun 2026
Tewinbury Farm Hotel in Hertfordshire, UK is expanding its premium leisure proposition with the launch of Farm Club, on 15 June. Located 30 minutes from ... More
01 Jun 2026

Work is underway in Madrid on one of Europe’s most significant multi-functional complexes, combining sport, entertainment, culture and education.

The €800 ... More

01 Jun 2026
Rainer Maelzer, an experiential entertainment innovator, has been appointed chief entertainment officer by Therme Group.  With decades of experience in immersive water-based attractions, Maelzer will ... More
29 May 2026
PureGym is encouraging people to step away from their screens and go for a walk, in a new initiative timed to coincide with Mental Health ... More
29 May 2026
Small improvements to sleep, diet quality, and physical activity, made in combination lead to a significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks ... More
29 May 2026

Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse ... More

28 May 2026
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, ... More
28 May 2026
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations ... More
28 May 2026
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world ... More
28 May 2026

Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its recently launched Sirene Island themed area and ... More

28 May 2026
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary, with the design and concept inspired by the Native ... More
1 - 15 of 69,578
Elevate Arena
Elevate Arena