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M&D's rollercoaster crash: Two children 'serious' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two children remain in a serious condition in hospital following a rollercoaster crash at a theme park in North Lanarkshire on Sunday. | |
Eight children and two adults were injured when the ride derailed at M&D's, in Strathclyde Park, Motherwell. | |
Four children and one adult are being treated at hospitals in Glasgow. Two of the children remain "serious" with the other two and the adult being "stable". | |
Three children and one adult are in a stable condition at Wishaw Hospital. | |
One child was taken to Wishaw but later discharged. | |
No details have been released about the injuries suffered by any of those involved. | |
But it is understood one of the injured is an 11-year-old boy who has undergone surgery on his arm and hand. | |
The park's owners said M&D's would be "closed until further notice". | |
A spokesman for the theme park's operators said: "As a family-run business, our thoughts are with those who have been injured and their families. | |
"We wish everyone a full recovery. We are co-operating fully with Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive on their joint investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident." | |
Witnesses said people were trapped upside down on the Tsunami ride when it crashed at 15:37 BST on Sunday. | Witnesses said people were trapped upside down on the Tsunami ride when it crashed at 15:37 BST on Sunday. |
Katie Burns, who had just finished riding the rollercoaster, wrote on Facebook that she watched in disbelief as it derailed. | Katie Burns, who had just finished riding the rollercoaster, wrote on Facebook that she watched in disbelief as it derailed. |
She said: "Honestly never been so scared in my life. Kids and adults are still on it upside down, it's like something out of a horror film, children crying and everything." | |
'Horrendous thing' | |
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Euan McLean, a sports journalist at the Daily Record who was waiting in a queue for the ride with his nine-year-old-daughter, said people rushed to help after the crash. | |
"It was a horrendous thing to see and a horrendous sound. Some people panicked. | |
"My first thought was to get my daughter out in order for her not to see any more, but there were many, many people who just ran straight to help and they obviously deserve huge praise." | |
Samuel, 14, who was at the park with his family and witnessed the crash, told BBC Scotland: "I could see one of the wheels was shaking so I started to walk away from it and then it was about to turn the corner and it started heavy shaking and everyone was screaming. | |
"It then just fell straight off the lines. It just crashed and all you could hear was a big bang." | |
The park was evacuated in the aftermath of the crash as six ambulances and six fire engines attended the scene. | |
Lessons learned | |
Ch Insp David Bruce said: "On arrival it became clear a series of five gondolas connected on a train on the Tsunami ride had detached from the rails, struck the superstructure and then struck the ground. | Ch Insp David Bruce said: "On arrival it became clear a series of five gondolas connected on a train on the Tsunami ride had detached from the rails, struck the superstructure and then struck the ground. |
"They [the gondolas] fell less than 20 feet. It would appear that they had been coming round a bend and at that point it detached." | "They [the gondolas] fell less than 20 feet. It would appear that they had been coming round a bend and at that point it detached." |
The ride travels at up to 40mph through corkscrew turns and loops but police could not confirm the speed it was moving at when it derailed. | The ride travels at up to 40mph through corkscrew turns and loops but police could not confirm the speed it was moving at when it derailed. |
Local MSP Richard Lyle said lessons must be learned. | Local MSP Richard Lyle said lessons must be learned. |
"I think we have to have a full investigation and find out exactly what went wrong," he told BBC Scotland. | "I think we have to have a full investigation and find out exactly what went wrong," he told BBC Scotland. |
"M&D's is well-used, well-loved, it's Scotland's theme park. It employs a lot of people in this area. I think we have to look at the facts and see what we can do to avoid this happening again." | "M&D's is well-used, well-loved, it's Scotland's theme park. It employs a lot of people in this area. I think we have to look at the facts and see what we can do to avoid this happening again." |
It is not the first time the park has experienced problems with its rides, including Tsunami. | It is not the first time the park has experienced problems with its rides, including Tsunami. |
Nine passengers, including children, were stranded for eight hours on the ride in July 2011 when it came to a halt 60ft (18.2m) above the ground. The malfunction was blamed on a broken lift chain. | |
In March, eight people had to be rescued by firefighters when the park's Tornado rollercoaster ground to a halt 20 ft (6m) in the air. | In March, eight people had to be rescued by firefighters when the park's Tornado rollercoaster ground to a halt 20 ft (6m) in the air. |