London - One of Britain’s biggest theme parks was facing questions about its safety measures on Tuesday night after four people were seriously injured in a collision between two cars on a roller coaster that has been beset by technical problems since it opened two years ago.
A further 12 people required treatment after the crash on the £18m Smiler roller coaster at Alton Towers at about 2pm on Tuesday.
Witnesses said the collision occurred after the ride reopened to the public following technical issues that had forced its closure earlier in the day.
Visitors described the scene at the park in Staffordshire as like a “car crash” after a carriage carrying passengers smashed into an empty carriage that was stationary at the top of the ride.
“Even after it had stopped there was screaming and shouting,” said Ben Richardson. “Everyone was shocked and no one knew what to do. It was a bit erratic and there was quickly a large crowd there.”
Richardson, who had been on the 80km/h roller coaster before the accident, could not understand why the ride had not been stopped before the crash.
“When the first carriage stopped and was completely static, the carriage they had passengers on was at the top of the ride,” he said.
“At that point they could have unloaded the carriage and got people away safely.”
Instead, they sent the cart around, he added.
“Whether that was computer error or human error, I don't know. But common sense would say, get the passengers off while you can.”
Another witness, Sophie Underwood, told the BBC that “they were sending coaches around with nobody on them” before the accident occurred.
“Then they said they had sorted it out so they decided to put people on the coach,” she said. “[Then] there was a big crash.”
The Smiler, which the resort says features “a series of twisted psychological effects including optical illusions, blinding lights and near-misses designed to mess with your mind” has been beset with problems since opening in early 2013.
In July of that year, 48 people were evacuated after a piece of debris fell from a section of track. Later that month, it was closed for five days after cracks were found around the base of one of the ride's supports.
Then in November 2013 four people were injured when they were struck by falling wheels that detached as the train ascended
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said four people - two males, aged 27 and 18, and two females, aged 19 and 17 - had suffered serious leg injuries. The other 12 people on the ride also required treatment.
As passengers dangled in the air, a platform was built to help emergency services reach them. Three air ambulances attended the scene.
A spokesperson for Alton Towers said there would be “a full investigation” into the incident. The park will be closed on Wednesday, “following the dreadful incident on The Smiler”.
ROLLER COASTER’S CHEQUERED HISTORY
Even before it was unveiled as “the most impressive addition” to Alton Towers, The Smiler, was beset with problems.
Delayed by “unforeseen teething problems” before it opened to the public in June 2013, 16 journalists were left stranded for around 30 minutes during a preview.
Less than a month later the white-knuckle ride was forced to close after reports of a bolt falling from the 700-ton structure. A park spokesperson claimed at the time that at no point was anyone in any danger.
The following November it was again forced to close after some plastic guard wheels came loose and hit riders at the highest point of the ride.
It is the first major accident at the park since 2006, when 30 people were injured after two carriages uncoupled from the track of the Runaway Mine Train roller coaster.
Britain's worst amusement park disaster came in 1972 when five children died and 13 adults were injured on an old wooden roller coaster at the Battersea Park Fun Fair.
After a rope carrying one of the cars snapped, an anti-roll mechanism failed and it fell backwards and smashed into a wall.
The Independent