Crane, Ride Collapse At Scandia Fun Center

NORTH HIGHLANDS (CBS13/AP) -- A ride and crane collapsed at Scandia Fun Center in North Highlands and two people were injured Tuesday afternoon.

Two workers in harnesses 50 feet above the ground had been removing the arm of the Scandia Screamer ride when the weight of the removed arm overwhelmed the crane and it tipped into a miniature golf course, along with a portion of a park batting cage.

One of the workers was injured when his arm became trapped between two pieces of metal, and the crane operator suffered minor bruising and injuries when the crane tipped over.

A Sacramento Metro Fire Department crew that was driving by on Highway 80 witnessed the crane collapse and was able to rescue the stranded workers.

The Screamer is a thrill ride that debuted at Scandia in 2007. It features two riders on each end of its arms that rotates 360 degrees at 168 feet off the ground at speeds up to 65 mph. The ride is quite visible from Highway 80 and neighbors in the area have complained about all the screaming from riders, prompting Scandia to adopt a "no scream" policy on The Screamer.

MAXIM Crane Works is the operating company that owns the crane and has personnel on scene. MAXIM is a national company with a local office in Pleasant Grove.

A MAXIM co-worker at the scene said "it would have been some freak thing" for the crane to tip over.

"Obviously there's a miscalculation when anything like that comes down," said Sacramento Metro Fire Assistant Chief Dale Turner said. "It's a very technical job to be a crane operator."

Cal/OSH, the state's occupational health division, has taken over the investigation.

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