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2 dead, 29 injured in Kankaria ride crash

TNN | Jul 15, 2019, 06.30 AM IST

AHMEDABAD: A pendulum ride in an amusement park along the Kankaria

lakefront here on Sunday turned fatal for two persons and left 29 injured
after the load-bearing cable snapped, causing the structure to come
crashing down with people strapped to their seats.

The victims were identified as Manali Rajvadi (24) and Mohammed Zaid
Momin (22). The injured are all in the age group of 16-26. At least three of
them are in a critical condition.
The accident occurred at 5.40 pm, prompting authorities to get the weekend crowd to immediately vacate the lakefront.

Eyewitnesses said the cable snapped when the pendulum carriage called Discovery was swinging around 20 feet above the
ground. Those facing outwards towards the stairs leading to the carriage bore the brunt of the crash.
The cable connecting the counterbalance with the shaft bearing the seats snapped midair, causing free fall of the shaft from
about 20 feet

Representatives of Superstar Amusement Pvt Ltd, which operated the Amrapali Amusement Park, have been detained at
Maninagar police station.

Bipin Ahire, DCP of Zone VI, said police would register a case under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder)
of the IPC against those responsible for the accident. “We are checking aspects such as operation and maintenance of the ride.
Even agencies responsible for inspection will be probed for accountability.”
The Discovery joyride swung at the full height with 31 persons seated in it

Familiar feeling of horror

Asimilar incident had occurred at the Sabarmati riverfront in June, although there were no casualties on that occasion. A team
from the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services had been called in to rescue people.

Chief fire officer M F Dastoor said that Sunday’s accident was caused by the failure of the cable attached to the main frame.
“The ride works when the main shaft with seats at the circular end is counter-balanced by a weight. When the cable snapped,
the welding along the shaft came off and the carriage also fell.”