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The Carowinds amusement park outside Charlotte, North Carolina, has come under fire for a recent incident. Last week, a parent named Jeremy Wagner saw a damaged steel support pillar at the top of one of the roller coasters of the park and informed the authorities about the same. The crack was reportedly in the Fury 325's support column.
In response to the incident, the park authorities announced in a statement on July 6, 2023, that its repair team is working with the manufacturer of the damaged ride. When asked about it, the authorities of the park said:
"Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process," the park said. "As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity."
As expected, this entire incident garnered much attention on social media. Moreover, it concerned the netizens as they worried about the safety of the people who rode the ride. In fact, one social media user thought that this entire event was "Sketchy."
The viral video of the Carowinds roller coaster shocked the netizens
Several videos showing the crack on the roller coaster became viral on the internet. After receiving harsh criticism from the netizens for being negligent and failing to check the ride on a regular basis, the park issued a statement.
The full statement read:
"Following the installation of the new column, and as part of our normal protocol for rides such as Fury 325, we will conduct an extensive series of tests to ensure the safety and integrity of the coaster."
It continued:
"These will include an accelerometer test that uses sensors to measure any variation in the ride experience. After that, we plan to operate the ride for 500 full cycles, performing tests and inspections of the entire ride throughout that period."
However, this didn’t stop netizens from criticizing the park authorities and the maintenance team. They didn't shy away from expressing their concern in the comment section of a YouTube video posted by @joezyamahar1.
More details about The Carowinds amusement park and Fury 325
Carowinds is a 407-acre amusement park near Charlotte, North Carolina. It opened to the public on March 31, 1973. In this park, visitors can find more than 60 world-class thrills, the Carolinas' greatest waterpark, live entertainment, Camp Snoopy, and downhome Carolina food. They also hold family-friendly special events on occasions.
Furthermore, Carowinds is one of the most eyed spots for roller coaster riders. Coasters like WindSeeker, The Flying Cobras, Electro-Spin, Copperhead Strike, and Fury 325 are famous among the visitors. However, the Fury 325 is its most popular attraction.
Fury 325, the roller coaster in question, is said to have cost $30 million to build. According to Mike Fehnel, the former general manager of Carowinds, it took 4.3 million pounds of steel to build the ride, which is 6,602 feet long.
