AUSTRALIA(CU)_After being hit by a ride at the Melbourne Royal Show on Sunday, a woman is still in critical condition.
WorkSafe is looking into how the 26-year-old was struck, although according to the police, she might have walked onto the Rebel Coaster’s rails to get a phone.
After the incident, which took place at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale at about 5:45 p.m., the ride was shut down.
The Melbourne Royal Show, which was not staged in 2020 or 2021, is back, but the roller coaster remained closed on Monday as investigators tried to piece together the circumstances that led to the accident.
Initial reports claimed that the woman may have fallen from the ride yesterday, but event organizers have clarified that was not the case. WorkSafe is looking into how the 26-year-old was struck, although according to the police, she might have walked onto the Rebel Coaster’s rails to get a phone.
After the incident, which took place at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale at about 5:45 p.m., the ride was shut down.
“It was a tragic accident and by all reports she’s gone to recover a phone, it’s had nothing to do with the ride itself, a malfunction or anything of that nature,” he said.
“I spoke to the operator late last night, they’re obviously devastated as well as is the whole show community.”
Sonya Kilkenny, a minister for the Victorian government, expressed her sympathy for the injured woman and the cast and crew of the event.
“I understand the matter has been referred to Victoria Police and Worksafe who will now investigate what happened,” she said.
“We’re all living on borrowed time in our industry because the insurance company highly regulates us as well and if [the Rebel Coaster operator] loses his insurance he can’t operate, he’s out of business.”
