'Come on down': Midway company says K-Days rides are safe after death in Ohio
The company that operates the rides at Edmonton's K-Days festival says people on the midway have every reason to feel safe.
North American Midway Entertainment said the move to close the Fire Ball thrill ride, following a death Wednesday on a similar machine in the U.S., was a precautionary measure.
The company said it shut down the ride within a half an hour of hearing the report that a man had died when the Fire Ball fell apart at the Ohio state fair.
"We're waiting for a report out of Ohio and/or from our ride manufacturer as to recommendations as to what we should do with this ride," said Scooter Korek, vice-president of client services.
Korek said while the Fire Ball machine at K-Days was made by the same manufacturer, the one in Ohio was operated by a different company.
"We're not going to reopen until we get a report back from the manufacturer telling us we're safe to operate again," he said, adding it's unlikely the ride will reopen during K-Days.
Korek said the Fire Ball at K-Days is a 2001 machine that was recently refurbished.
All rides were given the green light by the Alberta Elevating Devices and Amusement Rides Safety Association before the fair, said Korek.
Calls to AEDARSA's Edmonton office were not returned Thursday.
But the Alberta Government said the owner and operator of all rides are required to submit applications to the provincial association to get certificates of operation.
The association then examines structural, mechanical, operational and maintenance records to make sure the rides comply with provincial safety codes and regulations.
In a statement provided to CBC News, the department of Municipal Affairs said the Fire Ball will not be permitted to operate in Alberta until the findings of the Ohio incident are released.
The statement said the government will evaluate those findings to determine whether the ride will be allowed to return to Alberta.
In addition to the provincial oversight, Korek said the staff who operate the rides for North American Midway Entertainment perform daily inspections themselves.
Korek said a third-party inspection company also works with the company, which has a corporate safety director who travels to every event.
"I say come on down and have a great time," Korek said. "I think our rides are impeccably safe."
Northlands, which puts on the event, said it supported the move to close the Fire Ball.
Some Edmontonians said they had heard about the fatality in Ohio but continued to go on the rides at K-Days.
"You don't hear about this too, too often, at least I haven't," said Ty Keith, who was at the midway Thursday with his niece and nephew.
Both kids had been on several rides.
"Overall, I do trust the safety of the rides," Keith said.
Carmelo Ippolito, who was at the fair with his grandchildren, said reports from Ohio made him think but in the end he felt confident in allowing them both to carry on as normal.
"It's no worse, I think sometimes, than jumping in your car and going for a drive, something can happen on the road," he said.
Ippolito said if anything, he felt better knowing the North American Midway Entertainment company had taken steps to close down the Fire Ball while the manufacturer looks at the issue.
Scooter Korek said nothing will change with the company's safety measures for now.
"I think our inspection process and our safety protocols are already industry leading, so we haven't changed anything until we get the report out of what happened in Ohio," Korek said.
The K-Days exhibition runs until Sunday.
