New details have been released involving the accident of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who died after falling from the FreeFall Drop Tower on Thursday at Orlando's Icon Park. The report indicated that the harness was still down and locked when the ride stopped.
The Independent said that the investigation also indicated that Sampson came out of his seat when the magnets began slowing down the ride as the riders were descending. The report also showed that Sampson died from "multiple injuries and trauma."
The family says Sampson may have been too big for the ride
Although the investigation of the incident is still ongoing, the boy's family has raised concerns that the boy may have been too large for the ride.
On Thursday, March 24, Tyre Sampson visited ICON Park in Orlando when he boarded the Orlando Freefall ride, a 430-foot drop tower, at around 11 P.M.
Shay Johnson, Sampson's cousin, said they spoke by phone before he got into the FreeFall Drop Tower ride. Johnson said he dropped Sampson off at the park and told her he wanted to ride the swing.
According to CNN, Sampson called back about seven minutes later, saying that he could not ride the swing as it was too big. Johnson suggested that he try another slingshot, but operators also told him that he was too big. He said that there was one more ride that he would try.
He later called Johnson that they allowed him to ride the Orlando FreeFall. Johnson said she did not expect it was the last time she would talk to him.
Sampson's father, Yarnell Sampson, told CNN that their son was 6'5" and 340 lbs, saying he is a big guy.
The ride's operation and maintenance manual, posted online by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, says that the maximum passenger weight is 130 kilograms or 287 lbs.
The manual also indicated that operators must be careful in seeing if large guests fit into the seats. The contours of the seat and the bracket should also fit properly.
The instruction indicated that if the person does not fit, do not let them ride.
However, it is not clear if Sampson fits the seat's contour and the bracket properly.
A video circulating on social media, purportedly of the ICON Park incident, shows a person falling from the seat about five seconds into the ride's drop.
Suspended Ride Operations
The Orlando Freefall ride is closed while the accident is under investigation. On Monday, ICON Park said that the ride operators would suspend another ride at the park, the Orlando Slingshot until the authorities' thorough investigation has been completed and "all parties are satisfied that the ride is safe for the public."
ICON Park said that they continue to "fully cooperate" with the authorities, People reports.
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