BoddaH1994 Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 This question isn't intended in bad taste at all, but was anyone in the park the fateful day when 3 people lost their lives? A friend of mine was there, but all he remembers is that it was kind of chaotic. I'm just curious as to how the park would handle a situation like that. -Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 Shaggy Officially no one has ever died at King's Island. How so? Well, no one is pronounced dead at PKI... that happens at the hospital. ;-) There has only been one ride-related fatality in the park's history. On June 9th 1991 Candy Taylor, fell from the Flight Commader ride formerly located on Coney Mall. The ride, an Intamin Pilot ride allowed guests to flip or rotate their individual cockpits. But let me back up, because that day has become known as KI's darkest day. At approximately 8:30 in the evening, Timothy Benning (22)entered the park's pond located next to the Octoberfest Beir Garden to, apparently, retrieve a lost item. Upon entering the restricted area he was shocked due to an electrical current (later determined to be coming from a defective water circulation pump.) When he screamed and fell unconscious in the shallow water, his friend William Haithcoat (20) jumped in to pull him out. Immediately Haithcoat was shocked. Upon hearing the screams a park security officer, Darrel Robertson (20) jumped in attempting to help and was also shocked. Ironically the rescuers... Haithcoat and Robertson died, but Benning survived. The Octoberfest area of the park was emptied immediately, and closed off. Helicopters landed in the park to life-flight the victims to the hospital. They were undergoing CPR when they left. Just after this at the back of the park, Ms. Taylor, who was drunk, boarded Flight Commander at approximately 9:45pm. She rode by herself which later was determined to be the cause of her death. As the ride proceeded, she passed out (her Blood Alchohol level was 3.0. ) while flipping the ride upside down. Since her body was limp, she slid to the side towards the empty seat next to her and out of the over-the-shoulder restraint and lap bar. She fell 60 feet to the concrete below in front of eye-witnesses who were horrified. A design flaw in the ride was blamed. The ride was closed the rest of the 1991 season, but re-opened in 1992. The other death mentioned occurred on Grad Night 1983 when an un-named 17 year-old boy was found after he cllimbed a 10 foot barrier fence on the Eiffel Tower's 50-foot observation platform and fell in the elevator shaft. He plummeted to his death and rumor has it he was partially decapitated. A lot of mystery still surrounds this instance, but the general belief is that the boy either committed suicide or was showing off for friends and climbed into the restricted area. The Tower's 50 foot platform was closed and never re-opened. Each instance above was investigated and all were determined accidental. The park was fined for various OSHA violations, and more than likely settled with the families. Also of note, in 1976 a Wild Animal Safari Lion caretaker was mauled and killed as well. But King's Island is also the site of Heart Attacks, Strokes, etc of which people have perished. But so have malls, grocery stores, workplaces etc etc etc. Shaggy ~Dane PKIU Staff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanner Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 And it's not fateful, it's fatal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispy1979 Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 removed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 12, 2003 Author Share Posted August 12, 2003 Awsome use of the dictionary, Crispy! Thanks for the post, Dane. Oh yeah, and death can be determined on the scene, at least in KY. A paramedic can determine a DOA in this state, I'm not sure about Ohio though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanner Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 They more than likely can and do in Ohio. It's always a better idea if they are pronounced dead outside of the park, helps the park out a lot. That's what they do at Disney World. I'm sure if the park wants they can have the paramedics wait until outside of park premises to pronounce deaths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 12, 2003 Author Share Posted August 12, 2003 Oh, I agree with you totally. Hypothetically speaking, it's much nicer to think that an accident occured at the park as opposed to a death, which occured elsewhere as a result of the accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solid Snake Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 Oh, I agree with you totally. Hypothetically speaking, it's much nicer to think that an accident occured at the park as opposed to a death, which occured elsewhere as a result of the accident. Ha, you heartless punks. As you read Dane's post, actually Shaggy's post, you were probably hoping that PKI didn't get sued. You muggles... Yeah, but that is sad that two men who went to rescue the guy in the fountain died or any of the victims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonLord Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 During training the new officers watch the new cast of that day, and we are told the story of the Officer who died. It's pretty sad, and I hope it never happens again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 13, 2003 Author Share Posted August 13, 2003 Oh, I agree with you totally. Hypothetically speaking, it's much nicer to think that an accident occured at the park as opposed to a death, which occured elsewhere as a result of the accident. Ha, you heartless punks. As you read Dane's post, actually Shaggy's post, you were probably hoping that PKI didn't get sued. You muggles... Yeah, but that is sad that two men who went to rescue the guy in the fountain died or any of the victims. I don't mean to be heartless. In the business that PKI is in, they have to be a little on the apathetic side sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elder Panther Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 I was there but I don't really remember it. I was a little kid and I was there with my family. I know I was there because my mom told me I was. She said she remembered seeing helicopters come to fly the people away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Return_of_Yogi Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Awsome use of the dictionary, Crispy! LOL.....that would be awesome use.....you should try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordvolt Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Didnt something happen on The Bat as well? Not that I am anywhere close to being old enough to remember (I would have been 4 when the ride closed) but my parents told me some people got killed on it...leading to its short life at the park... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Fusion Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 (edited) Nobody was killed on The Bat. The problem with it was that the turns weren't banked as they are now on Top Gun and all other Arrow suspended coasters. This led to the extreme wear and tear on the shocks as they would let the cars swing out very far as they rounded the turns. It was closed because it was plagued with problems. This site can explain it all: The Bat Edited January 1, 1970 by fusiondude09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic41445 Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 (edited) I'm pretty sure that there wasn't a death associated with The Bat. I believe the cause for its removal was that it was a maintenance disaster. Edited January 1, 1970 by Magic41445 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterdudeOH Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 There were no deaths associated with The Bat. Those are only rumors to scare people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordvolt Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Thanks for correcting me...It does seem like it would be a total maintenance disaster and if let go it probably would have resulted in injuries or death...is a shame because it looks like the best suspended ever designed (asiding the lack of banked turns) That reminds me... RCT's suspended coaster lacks banked turns...hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Alot was learned from The Bat. Without it, suspended coasters will not be the way they are today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 24, 2003 Author Share Posted August 24, 2003 Yeah, it seems like Arrow prototypes always turn out to be disasterous. The Bat only operated circa 100 days in the few years that it was opened. Of course, Top Gun has a pretty good record. It is to my understanding that X at SFMM is the same way, always down. It would be cool if they could improve on the design and build a nice 4d at PKI. Anyway, back to the topic... So are there 4 confirmed deaths at PKI that we know about: the kid who fell from the tower, the girl who fell from the Flight Commander, the two guys who were unfortunately electricuted saving another guy who fell in the water in Oktoberfest, and the guy mauled by a lion? All of which are unfortunate accidents. With the exception of the two gentelmen who were electricuted, it seems like most of the incidents were due to either people acting irresponsibly, not following the rules, or not being properly trained. For the most part, it makes me feel pretty safe in the park. More or less, if you follow the rules and do as you are instructed, you will be ok whether you're an employee or a guest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordvolt Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 One more: - Just this year, a woman on Top Gun suffered a heart attack and died at the hospital. (Very sad story...) Arguably, PKI was not at fault in any of these accidents...The unfortunate accident in which the two men died in Oktoberfest was due to a malfunctioning pump...but something like that would be hard to detect and I dont think we want PKI to pull inspectors and maintenance staff off of the coasters and rides to check out the fountain pumps and other trivial scenery equipment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 24, 2003 Author Share Posted August 24, 2003 Ah, I had that in mind, but didn't count it. It wasn't due to the park. She had an unknown pre-existing health condition. Very sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 (edited) hmmmmmmmm, so thats why they got rid of all of the fountains in the park except for the royal fountain. They no longer have the one in front of Festhaus or the one in Coney Mall. Edited January 1, 1970 by upstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 25, 2003 Author Share Posted August 25, 2003 hmmmmmmmm, so thats why they got rid of all of the fountains in the park except for the royal fountain. They no longer have the one in front of Festhaus or the one in Coney Mall. Nah, it wasn't a fountain. It was the water by the BeerGardens (now Bubba Gumps) I believe. There was something wrong with the pump that recirculates the water and it caused them to get shocked. Again, correct me if I'm wrong. This is just my understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 It was a circulation pump. kinda makes the pond act like a tolet bowl. This prevents stagnet water, and stagnet water makes bacteria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Fusion Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Then why didn't they use pumps on the small lake by The Beast? Was the lake too much of an annoyance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missdi Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 I know this is very much off the subject, but when I was there yesterday feeding the fish we noticed how nasty the water was getting, never have seen it this bad before, could it be from everyone throwing their leftover food to the fish?? Also, this has always been on our minds at seasons end, what happens to the fish there in the winter?? Like I said really off topic!! Just wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonLord Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 The ponds are never drained, so the fish just kinda hyberniate on the bottom during the winter. There is a foutain in the lake by The Beast, it's behind Paradise Drinks. There is also a small stream (man made, I belive) that runs under the bridge (that connects Potato Work's patio to the picnic area behind Wings) and that moves some water around as well. There was never a fountain in Coney Mall. Food shouldn't be thrown into the ponds, it can cause some problems like making the fish sick, making the ponds dirty and can clog the filters and foutain pumps. NEVER jump into a pond, lake or foutain in the park. It's happened before and you will get into a ton of trouble. If you drop something in the water, tell an employee. Odds are we can replace it for you, or we can send someone to get it. The waters are much deeper than people think and they have very muddy bottoms which you can sink into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 There was a fountain in the circle of ginko trees between Zepher, skeeball and basket ball. I believe there is a potted plant over the intake return. Kids used to run through it like they do in Nick Central. Later around the time of the accidents, they put a potted plant in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StXBomber Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 I do remember that! I thought I was just remembering things from a different park! I still don't see why they took that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 26, 2003 Author Share Posted August 26, 2003 Yeah, it was three constant streams shooting upward. There was nothing around it, so you could walk through it if you really wanted to. I'm willing to say that a lot of toddlers were falling into it, causing complaints...just my guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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