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M&D's rollercoaster crash: Two children 'serious' M&D's rollercoaster crash: Two children in 'serious' condition
(about 2 hours later)
Two children remain in a serious condition in hospital following a rollercoaster crash at a theme park in North Lanarkshire on Sunday. Two boys who were among nine people injured in a rollercoaster crash at a North Lanarkshire theme park on Sunday remain in a serious condition.
Eight children and two adults were injured when the ride derailed at M&D's, in Strathclyde Park, Motherwell. The ride derailed at M&D's, on the Motherwell side of Strathclyde Park.
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". Two boys remain in a serious condition - a 12-year-old has chest, abdominal and leg injuries and an 11-year-old suffered serious arm and hand injuries.
Three children and one adult are in a stable condition at Wishaw Hospital. Four other boys, a 14-year-old girl and a 19-year-old man, are all stable in hospital, police said.
One child was taken to Wishaw but later discharged. A 19-year-old woman was released after treatment.
No details have been released about the injuries suffered by any of those involved. 'Serious incident'
But it is understood one of the injured is an 11-year-old boy who has undergone surgery on his arm and hand. Det Insp John Malcolm said police wanted to speak to anyone who had witnessed the crash at 15:37 BST on Sunday.
The park's owners said M&D's would be "closed until further notice". "This is a really serious incident that has affected many people visiting the theme park and our thoughts go out to those who have been injured," he said.
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 have now launched a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and our priority is to find out the cause of the incident.
"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." "I would ask that anyone who witnessed the incident or indeed, anyone who may have video footage or photographs to get in touch with the dedicated inquiry team."
Witnesses said people were trapped upside down on the Tsunami ride when it crashed at 15:37 BST on Sunday. Police said the crash happened after five gondolas on the Tsunami inverted rollercoaster detached from their rails at a bend and fell to the ground.
Katie Burns, who had just finished riding the rollercoaster, wrote on Facebook that she watched in disbelief as it derailed. There were nine passengers on board - two 19-year-olds and seven children.
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." A total of 10 people were taken to hospital in the aftermath of the crash.
'Horrendous thing' A 25-year-old woman who was passing-by was found not to be injured and was released from Wishaw General Hospital following an assessment.
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. A 19-year-old woman who was treated for a wrist injury has been released.
"It was a horrendous thing to see and a horrendous sound. Some people panicked. Three other children remain in a stable condition at Wishaw - a 14-year-old girl who suffered chest injuries, an 11-year-old boy who was kept in for observation and a 16-year-old boy who was treated for an injury to his arm.
"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." The other casualties are being treated at two hospital in Glasgow.
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. Four boys, two of whom are aged 11, one aged 12 and one aged 13, are being treated at the Royal Hospital for Children.
"It then just fell straight off the lines. It just crashed and all you could hear was a big bang." In addition to the two who are in a serious condition, an 11-year-old, who suffered leg and head injuries, is stable, and a 13-year-old is being monitored.
The park was evacuated in the aftermath of the crash as six ambulances and six fire engines attended the scene. Investigation begins
Lessons learned The 19-year-old man is being treated for a knee injury at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and is also stable.
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. HSE principal inspector Barry Baker said a joint investigation with police was now under way.
"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." "Our thoughts are with the children and adults who have been injured in this incident and I must give praise to the emergency services and members of the public who came to their aid so quickly yesterday," he said.
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. "We have brought HSE specialists in mechanical engineering to the site this morning, to begin the process of finding out what caused the gondolas to come off the rails.
Local MSP Richard Lyle said lessons must be learned. "HSE will work very closely with colleagues in the police as the investigation unfolds."
"I think we have to have a full investigation and find out exactly what went wrong," he told BBC Scotland. M&D's revealed that the Tsunami ride had been closed on Saturday due to a minor electrical fault but said it was fully operational when the park opened on Sunday.
"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 'devastated'
It is not the first time the park has experienced problems with its rides, including Tsunami. The park's director, Douglas Taylor, said: "Each and every ride within the theme park is safety checked on a daily basis and undergoes a thorough independent inspection every 12 months.
"My brother Matthew and I have been in business together for 50 years and this is the first incident of this type that we have ever been involved in.
"We are devastated as both a family and a business, and our heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by this accident."
Mr Taylor paid tribute to the emergency services and members of the public who had helped in the aftermath of the crash.
He added: "Our thoughts are with the people who have been injured and their families. We hope everyone makes a full recovery.
"We are cooperating fully with the joint HSE and Police Scotland investigation.
"It would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the accident until the investigation is complete."
It is not the first time the park has experienced problems with its rides, including the 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.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.