Operator error a likely factor in Palace Playland injury

OLD ORCHARD BEACH — An amusement ride operator likely failed to make sure a lap bar was secured on the Super Star ride during an incident at Palace Playland in July, according to a report by the Maine State Fire Marshal's Office.

On July 16, public safety officials responded to a call at the Palace Playland amusement park of a 10-year-old injured on the Super Star amusement ride. The boy was found to be conscious and alert and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the Palace Playland website, “Super Star consists of three arms radiating from a central column. At the end of each arm is a Star holding seven gondolas. When the ride begins the central column spins one way, while the Stars at the end of each arm are raised in the air and rotate the other way.”

The passenger cars on the Super Star are installed with non-locking safety bars, but have the added non-factory installed feature of a rope used to secure the lap bar in place. The boy told an investigator that the lap bar was not secured and he did not feel safe, so he attempted to get out of the car as the ride was starting, according to a report by Marc A. Veilleux with the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The ride operator saw the boy attempting to leave the car and quickly stopped the ride, according to the report. The ride was in operation for 23 seconds before it came to a stop.

Veilleux said he could not determine from watching the surveillance video whether the rope securing the lap bar was in place prior to the start of the ride or whether the boy jumped out of the ride due to fear of not being secured properly. As the boy told an investigator that he felt unsafe and was attempting to leave, “This leads me to believe that the ride operator did not ensure that all passengers on the ride were properly secured onto the ride prior to the start of the ride,” said Veilleux.

An inspection by the Fire Marshal’s office concluded the Super Star amusement ride had no mechanical defects.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.