Riders Plunge 34 Feet, 6 Injured in Florida Roller Coaster Derail

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two roller coaster riders fell 34 feet (10 meters) when their car derailed and was left dangling from the track, and firefighters used ladders to pull eight others to safety high above the Daytona Beach Boardwalk.

In this Thursday, June 14, 2018 photo a Daytona Beach Fire Department ladder is extended over a roller coaster that derailed in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Lola Gomez /The Daytona Beach News-Journal via AP)
"The front car which was holding four passengers completely came off the tracks," said Daytona Beach Fire spokeswoman Sasha Staton.
Two of the four fell from the Sand Blaster ride Thursday night and suffered traumatic injuries, while "the other two were still in the car dangling," she said.
Fire department photos show the red car hanging at an odd, perpendicular angle, with another car jammed behind it.

This photo provided by the Daytona Beach Fire department shows emergency crews working on a roller coaster car that derailed at the Daytona Beach Boardwalk on Thursday, June 14, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Two passengers fell 34 feet (10 meters) to the ground and authorities had to pull eight others to safety. The accident is under investigation according Daytona Beach Fire spokeswoman Sasha Staton. (Daytona Beach Fire department via AP)
In videos posted on social media by witnesses, two people can be seen dangling from the car's seats and metal scaffolding beneath the track. Bystanders gathered under the passengers, str...

Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - June 15, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Associated Press Tags: Rescue & Vehicle Extrication News Source Type: news