YORK, Pa. (WHTM) — Two people were taken to a hospital from the York Fair Friday night.
It happened around 8 p.m. after one person fell from the Giant Wheel.
After the accident, the Ferris wheel was closed immediately and it will remain that way for the rest of the weekend.
All other rides operated as usual on Saturday.
“Every time I go on them, if I do decide to go on these rides, you always think about your safety; Make it on there, make it back off of there,” said fair attendee Ken Smithers.
After the incident, the safety of some of the rides has come into question.
“All of us at the fair are concerned about the fair guests that were injured last night,” said Bryan Blair, CEO of York Fair and York Expo Center. “Our thoughts and our prayers are with them and their families.”
A video taken by a witness appears to show one of the carts broken and dangling.
“It’s a sad thing to happen to anybody, but it’s a chance you take any time you’re going on a ride, there’s something that could happen,” said fair attendee James Melvin.
The incident is now under investigation by the Department of Agriculture, trying to figure out if it was caused by people on the ride or the ride itself.
“They started the investigation last night,” Blair said. “They arrived back on the scene today and those are the questions they’re looking to determine.”
Blair says according to Deggeler attractions, which operates the ride:
“The ride was inspected before it was opened yesterday, that they did complete the logs and the checklists that they were required to complete and that things were in order on their part, as far as that’s concerned.”
A statement from the Department of Agriculture says:
“More than 1,300 certified ride inspectors across the state have been trained and licensed by the department and meet continuing education requirements based on their certification level.
Department of Agriculture
These inspectors perform regular inspections, typically before each ride opens for the day. Ride operators verify to the department that the inspections were conducted prior to its operation for the season or in a new location.
The online system shows the verification. Regular inspection reports are available from ride operators.
Blair says three state inspectors were on-site Saturday
“I do know the inspectors arrived earlier and they did some inspections on other rides,” Blair said. “To tell you that it was 100 percent of the rides, it was not, or I don’t know that for sure.”
Blair says there’s no reason to believe any other ride is unsafe.
“When we’re told that they’ve checked a ride and it’s safe today, we are going to take them at their word,” Blair said.
There’s still no word on the condition of the two people injured at the fair.