Carnival Rides Collide In Midlothian, Injuring Child And Posing Lots Of Questions
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Witnesses said two carnival rides collided in Midlothian, sending a part of the ride to the ground and injuring a nine-year-old.
CBS 2's Tim McNicholas has learned the state never inspected the way the rides were set up. He has the story from the St. Christopher Fiesta in Midlothian where both of the rides are shut down.
Pharaoh's Fury and the Freak Out rides are both surrounded by yellow tape. Witnesses tell CBS 2 those two were both running when they collided Thursday night.
It was supposed to be a night of fun in the St. Christopher parking lot.
But 14-year-old Dylan Terborg said while he was riding Pharaoh's Fury, he heard a big crash and realized the ride had hit something.
"And we looked behind us and there was a kid on the ground bleeding. And then, the mom was screaming."
He said the Freak Out was running with no one on it and somehow collided with Pharaoh's Fury, sending Pharaoh's head to the ground.
CBS 2 has learned a nine-year old boy who was standing near the ride went to the hospital and is expected to survive.
Dylan was unharmed. But his grandma is angry.
"Maybe the ride itself as far as mechanical issues were inspected. They probably didn't even think about the spacing," said Pamela Terborg.
The Illinois Department of Labor said both rides passed an inspection in May. But that was before Alpine Amusements set the rides up at St. Christopher's. The Department of Labor said it's not always on site for ride setups.
And in this case, it wasn't.
And a spokesperson said the ride manufacturers should have given specific set up instructions to the carnival operator, Alpine Amusements. It's not clear if that happened.
"Get your stuff together and do your inspections properly and carefully," said Pamela Terborg.
The state has now shut the rides down and it said the rides won't be back open until they pass a re-inspection.
"Just don't go back on that ride at all," Dylan said.
CBS 2 reached out to Alpine Amusements, the manufacturer of both rides, St. Christopher's Church and the Archdiocese of Chicago. None of them could answer CBS 2's questions.
It's not the first time the Freak Out ride has drawn scrutiny.
The state temporarily banned the ride in 2017 due to its similarities to a ride that caused a fatal accident in Ohio a couple years ago.
