Child rescued after accident at KOP amusement park: police
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) – A boy was rushed to a hospital Saturday after he was found hanging from his neck at an indoor amusement park. Police say the eight-year-old became entangled in a rope ladder.
Several people jumped into action to rescue him. Scary moments inside the Thrillz High Flying Adventure Park in King of Prussia.
Upper Merion police say it was around 1:40 p.m. when an eight-year-old boy was on a rope ladder when he somehow became stuck and was hanging by his neck. Police say the boy was unresponsive at first.
The owner of the park says staff members saw the boy and cut the rope to get him down.
Police say two off-duty officers were inside at the time, they performed CPR, and the 8-year-old regained consciousness.
Police say the child was rushed to the hospital.
A parent shared this photo with CBS News Philadelphia which she says is the rope ladder in question.
One family we spoke with described the park Saturday afternoon this way.
"There was kids running through the exits of rides and out and no parents kind of near them," A.J. Hernandez said.
Thrillz opened on South Henderson road near the King of Prussia mall three weeks ago with different rides and games.
After the 8-year-old boy was rescued, Qiana Jackson said she was happy to hear the section of the park where this happened was closed down.
"I signed the waivers and now I'm nervous about probably what I'll let them ride when they actually get inside," Jackson said.
The owner of the indoor amusement park, Lisa Cannon, tells CBS News Philadelphia that video showed the boy climbing headfirst down a rope ladder and he became tangled. She says safety is her number one priority.
And in a statement she says in part:
"Within 10 seconds, our safety monitors formed a response team along with off-duty police officers and a nurse who was also on site."
The owner also says:
"The rope ladder complies with American Society for Testing and Materials standards, which specify a 9-inch gap between knots, however, out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to further enhance the safety of our equipment by ordering a softer and tighter rope ladder. the obstacle will be closed until our installation is complete."
Late Saturday, police said that the child appeared to be doing okay and the incident was an accident.
