UNDATED (WKZO AM/FM) — Startling video of an amusement ride, called the “Fireball” falling apart at the Ohio State Fair, killing a marine recruit, may be giving fair goers second thoughts about their plans this year.
The Ottawa County Fair and The Coast Guard Festival are underway, and Sterling Fest is scheduled in the Detroit suburbs this weekend.
All of them have contracted with different amusement ride vendors than the Amusements of America, the firm that owned the Fireball that fell apart.
Mike Beamish with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Tells TV-6 in Lansing that they inspect about 950 rides annually minimally at least once each year. But he says its machinery and it can break down.
Gary Zaitshik with Wade Shows says they will be using a similar ride in Sterling this weekend.He says they inspect their rides daily, and monitor them throughout the day.
Josh Gower, the Coordinator for the Kalamazoo Youth Fair says they are bringing in a new vendor for the fair this year, replacing Wade Shows with Maple Leaf Amusements, which he says are more family and youth oriented. The fair begins at the Expo Center and Fairgrounds on August 8th.The Dutch firm that makes the “Fireball” has ordered that all of them be shut down until they can figure out what went wrong in Ohio.There are five of the rides in use in the U.S. and none of them in Michigan.
