Boy Hurt When Prop Falls From Carnival Ride In Midlothian; Woman Falls When Roller Coaster Derails In Plainfield
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two people were injured Thursday night when two carnival rides broke down at separate carnivals in south suburban Midlothian and southwest suburban Plainfield.
Around 6 p.m., at Plainfield Fest, police and firefighters responded to the carnival when a small roller coaster malfunctioned, and a woman fell from the ride.
Police said a track on the Iron Dragon roller coaster had broken, and a car fell off the track.
The woman who fell from the ride was taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
The ride was cordoned off after the accident, as North American Midway Entertainment, which ran the Plainfield carnival, investigates the cause of the accident.
The company said it appears the ride slid off the blocking it was placed on. It's unclear if vibrations caused the accident.
This morning, injured riders are recovering from not just one, but two ride accidents at two separate carnivals in Illinois. I'll detail what officials say happened on @cbschicago. pic.twitter.com/pLvUNK5lwl
— Mugo Odigwe (@MugoOdigwe) July 19, 2019
Around the same time in Midlothian, a 9-year-old boy was injured when a prop fell off a ride at the Saint Christopher Parish Fiesta.
Officials said the carnival is still running through this weekend while the damaged ride is inspected.
The Illinois Department of Labor requires carnival rides to be inspected annually.
North American Midway Entertainment said the Plainfield carnival was inspected by state and local authorities this week, and is inspected daily by carnival staff.
The Illinois Department of Labor is investigating both incidents.