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CNN Live At Daybreak

Amusement Park Ride Collapses

Aired July 31, 2001 - 07:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: In Michigan, for the second straight day, a place where people gather for summer fun, something goes horribly wrong there. This time it's an accident at an amusement park in Michigan, injuring as many as 26 people. The incident happened yesterday in Muskegon at the Michigan Adventure Amusement Park. It's about 170 miles west of Detroit.

Reporter Alyssa Nettov (ph) of our Grand Rapids affiliate, WXMI has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALYSSA NETTOV, REPORTER, WXMI: Thirty-six people were on Chaos when it happened.

CHIEF KEVIN BLANCHARD, WHITE LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT: What we have is a circular ride that pivots on an axis, one arm axis. Apparently, the circular part of the ride fell off of the center pivot.

NETTOV: Within minutes, emergency crews were on the scene, including AeroMed, dealing with more than a dozen injuries.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So far, I've heard that one of them just has scratches and bruises on her leg.

NETTOV: At least three people were seriously injured from the impact. Witnesses couldn't believe what they saw.

UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS: I just ran to the fence and I walked it full. It just collapsed right down and I just stood and watched it.

NETTOV: Because of the instability of the equipment, cranes were called in to support the wheel. All the while, victims trapped on top, about 30 feet in the air as well as some below the ride.

BLANCHARD: We can't move the ride because we're afraid of it tipping one way or the other until we get it stabilized with the crane.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCEDWARDS: That report from Alyssa Nettov of CNN affiliate WXMI.

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