The Superman Tower of Power at Louisville's Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom was shut down after Thursday's accident, and Six Flags spokeswoman Wendy Goldberg said Friday the company closed similar rides at parks in St. Louis, Missouri; Gurnee, Illinois; and near Washington, D.C., as a precaution, The Associated Press reported. "That could have been all of us -- riding that ride," witness Whitney Sandfer told CNN affiliate WDRB/WMYO. Kaitlyn Lasitter's legs were severed when cables snapped on the Superman Tower of Power ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville. }, First published on June 22, 2007 / 7:22 AM. The ride was closed on June 22, 2007 after the accident occurred on the Kentucky Kingdom location. "We'll wait and see.". Superman Drop Tower Accident | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror Fascinating Horror 1.02M subscribers 838K views 3 years ago #Documentary #TrueStories #History "At around 4:45pm on the. Park officials tell us they're trying to figure out what exactly went wrong. Williams' daughter had traded seats with the 13-year-old, and was sitting on the other side of the ride. [15] This is the second attraction themed to Superman to operate at the park, with the first one being Superman: Ultimate Flight. The operator heard the cable snap and acknowledged unusual screaming as the car climbed, but failed to press the emergency stop button until after the ride had already dropped. According to Six Flags officials no one else was hurt. Tower of Power, formerly known as the "Hell-a-vator.". "She said 'let's not ride it, let's go ride something else.' For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. A password reset link will be sent to you by email. display: none; The Superman: Tower of Power at Kentucky Kingdom (park then operating as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom) was an Intamin Giant Drop model, nearly identical to the one at Six Flags St. Louis. "When I got up there, the lady she was just sitting there, and she didn't have no legs. "We'll wait and see.". Do you fear for your safety on amusement-park rides. [2][3] Other drop tower rides around the country temporarily closed for inspection, including Drop Tower rides at five Cedar Fair parks. The ride once known as the hell-a-vator is shut down indefinitely. Teen Lost Both Of Her Feet On Ride At Kentucky Kingdom, 3 East Texans accused in multi-state deer poaching ring, I-20 chase ends in 2-vehicle wreck; 2 injured, Affidavit: Fired Three Lakes Middle School teacher had sex with student. Kaitlyn Lasitter, whose name had not previously been released by officials, was riding the Superman Tower of Power ride Thursday at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville when a cable broke loose on the ride, cutting off the girl's feet above the ankles, authorities said. But how did the park manage to get Superman [] Kaitlyn continues to battle pain, depression and the uncertainty of what will become of her reattached right foot. The incident took place shortly before 5 p.m. June 22, 2007 / 7:22 AM His strength allows him to leap tall buildings one at a time. "The cable went under the car -- and I seen it pull up and hit a lot of people -- and I seen them bring their legs up," Stinnett said. ground. Those rides remained closed Tuesday, and were to undergo safety inspections. It was unclear at what point during the ride the 13-year-old was injured Thursday, said Wendy Goldberg, a Six Flags spokeswoman. In a horrible accident, a 13-year-old girl's legs were severed above the ankle while on the Superman Tower Of Power ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. A 13-year-old girl visiting Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom lost both of her feet when a ride malfunctioned Thursday afternoon. The ride will remain closed until a full investigation by state officials and "our team of experts" is conducted, McLean said. The ride, which was closed after the accident, lifted passengers 177 feet, then dropped them at speeds of more than 50 mph. Riders sat in open-air ski lift style seats that face away from the tower, leaving their feet dangling. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. I've been working in the online publishing industry for over 10 years and have a passion for creating engaging, entertaining content. "As the ride came down, the wire swung left, struck the young lady on the back side of my children," Williams said. On June 21, 2007, a 13-year-old girl was severely injured on Superman: Tower of Power when a cable snapped shortly after the ride began, striking the passengers in Section 3 of the ride. How would you feel if a supersonic roller coaster hit you? Smith told WLKY she raced to the ride to find members of her group who had been on it. Doctors were able to reattach. Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. Kaitlyn Lassiter was reriding There was a short line so they decided to ride again. "When I got up there, the lady, she was just sitting there and she didn't have no legs," Smith said. The girl's name was not released because she is a minor. "We are deeply saddened by this incident and of course have genuine concern for the well-being of the entire family. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Its difficult to believe hes simply a good man with a good heart because of his extraordinary abilities and powers. Park: Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom Story: As the riders ascended the Superman: Tower of Power ride, a broken cable snapped, whipped around, and severed a 13-year old girl's feet. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. A girl's feet were severed when the Superman Tower of Power malfunctioned at the Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom Amusement Park in Louisville, police said. She was just calm, probably in shock from everything.". The injuredteen was rushed to University Hospital after the accident, and we learned around 8 p.m. Thursday that the teen was in surgery. During the ride, passengers are lifted to 177 feet, suspended momentarily and then dropped, according to the park's Web site. The ride begins with the weigh process. Kaitlyn also has regained her appetite and some weight after the various prescription medications she takes made her sick, her family has recently said. Six Flags St. Louis, originally known as Six Flags Over Mid-America, is an amusement park featuring characters and rides from many Warner Bros. films and tv shows such as, Looney Tunes, DC Comics, and formerly Scooby-Doo.It is located in Eureka, Missouri, which is a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.Owned and operated by Six Flags, the park opened on June 5, 1971 as the third of the company's . Intamin, a Swiss company, made all the rides that were closed by both companies, said Craig Ross, a spokesman for Cedar Fair. metal cable snapped and severed the feet of the 13-year old "At no time has any representative of the theme park been in touch with members of the family," the statement said. Treva Smith said it snapped again as the ride descended. The girl was taken to a local hospital. The Superman Tower of Power ascends to 177 feet, then drops the riders at 54 miles an hour, stopping just 20 feet above the ground. It first opened at the park October . A spokeswoman for Six Flags in New York disputed that account, saying two representatives from Kentucky Kingdom accompanied Lasitter's family to the hospital and stayed for "some time" before the family asked that they leave. How many riders are on Superman The ride? http://clicktotweet.com/745EeTake a ride on Supermen Tower Of Power an S&S combo tower that launches/freefalls as you first get launched up 245 ft at speeds . They are quickly taken 177 feet (54 m) in the air at 12mph (19km/h), held at the top for several seconds, and then dropped around 154 feet (47m) at speeds of 54mph (87km/h), before being stopped just 23 feet (7.0m) from the ground by magnetic brakes. The four other Cedar Fair rides that will be shut down are at Kings Island near Cincinnati; Canada's Wonderland, in Toronto; Kings Dominion in Doswell, Va.; and Great America in Santa Clara, Calif. Riders were held at the top of the 23-story tower for several seconds at the top. Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother Therefore, if we take an estimate of 6 feet for Supermans height, then the answer to how tall Superman is at Magic Mountain would be around 72 feet tall. You must stay put in the elevator, and there is no other choice but to keep your eyes fixed on the screen. "To watch our daughter continually try to overcome such extreme pain and adversity has definitely been five of the most trying months of our lives," her parents, Randy and Monique Lasitter, wrote the newspaper. I'm Joel Watson and I'm a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. Superman: Tower of Power was a drop tower at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. During the Tower of Power ride, passengers are hoisted aloft, suspended momentarily, then pulled down, according to the park's Web site. "The cable went under the car -- and I seen it pull up and hit a lot of people -- and I seen them bring their legs up," he said. However, in Six Flags amusement parks, Superman is often depicted as being significantly taller than both of these estimates, sometimes towering over 10 feet tall. But a friend talked her out of it. You must have experienced it in order to know whether you are safe or not, so there is no guarantee. The theme park says it's trying Riders can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (0 to 62 miles per hour) in the initial launch. The ride opened in 1995 and closed on June 21, 2007 after a major accident. The tower pieces were painted in an alternating color scheme of orange, green, and teal with white accent rings prior to being erected at the park during the off-season. With a structural height of 325 feet (99m), it was the tallest ride in the park until the opening of the Texas Sky Screamer. Since its opening in 1997, the ride has earned its place as one of the most thrilling experiences in the park. At approximately 4:45p.m. on Thursday, 6-21-07, the Superman Tower of Power ride at the Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom Park in Louisville, Ky. malfunctioned and injured a 13-year-old female, whose legs were severed above the ankle. Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings The Kentucky Department of Agriculture, which oversees ride safety, is investigating the accident. Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother. Superman Tower of Power Girl Feet Cut Off Six Flags 585,594 views Aug 3, 2007 169 Dislike Share Save Description ChiTown4lyfe 50 subscribers The Superman Tower of Power where the girl got. ride is shut down indefinitely. The installment at Kentucky Kingdom (then known as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom) was demolished after an accident that maimed a teenage girl while the ride at Six Flags St Louis was removed from the park's website in early 2021. Here's how the Superman Tower of Power works: riders are strapped in and slowly taken up to 177 feet before a free-fall of 154 feet, reaching a speed of 54 miles-per-hour before easing to a stop about 20 feet above the ground. During the ride, a malfunction caused the cable to break. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn's medical bills total in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, her father said. ; Carowinds, in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Great America in Santa Clara, California, the AP reported. According to Six Flags no one else was hurt. They are snug as bugs in heavy duty shoulder restraints, as they are lifted three stories up. Soon after the accident theme park crews converged at the base of the ride to begin their investigation. Superman: Tower of Power is a drop tower ride currently located at two Six Flags parks,[1] and two former installments at Kentucky Kingdom and Six Flags St. Louis. Then, like, the cable broke and I heard a lot of people screaming," Chris Stinnett, who was at a ride next to the Tower of Power, told CNN affiliate WDRB/WMYO-TV in Louisville. [11], On May 14, 2008, the girl's family spoke and gave support for a bill introduced by Massachusetts State Representative Ed Markey on Capitol Hill, which would have allowed the federal government to oversee permanent rides at amusement parks. On June 21, 2007, a 13-year-old girl had both feet severed by a cable while riding Superman: Tower of Power. Reports of Superman reaching the speed of light have also been received in the last decade. At Six Flags Fiesta Texas, visitors to the Superman Ride of Steel will encounter a terrifying monster made of the remains of the most powerful enemy. That could have been all of us.". Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. of Sandusky, Ohio, also shut down drop tower rides at five of its amusement parks for inspection after the accident. (CNN) -- A girl's feet were cut off Thursday when a free-fall thrill ride malfunctioned at the Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom Amusement Park in Louisville, Kentucky, police said. Kaitlyn was on the ride June 21 when a cable broke, severing her feet. Copyright 2007 CNN. display: block; A 13-year-old girl visiting Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom lost both of her feet when a ride malfunctioned Thursday afternoon. The ride could not be stopped after this point. Thus, the Lasitters weren't at the park when Kaitlyn and her friends climbed aboard the Superman Tower of Power, a ride that lifts passengers 177 feet into the air, followed by a. "We were about to ride that ride before it happened," said Megan Watham. The cart briskly falls halfway down the tower then brought back up to the top to complete the Turbo Drop portion of the ride. Im Joel Watson and Im a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. "She's so proud of herself that she has gotten around on crutches," he told The Courier-Journal of Louisville. The ride passed inspection in each of the past four years, according to records. The ride was closed right after the accident. Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor, "Two New Kids Areas Opening at Six Flags Over Georgia for 2016 Season", "Girl's feet severed on ride at Six Flags in Kentucky", "Six Flags Closes More Rides After Accident", "Excerpts of Kaitlyn Lasitter's deposition", "Report: Faulty Cable, Operator Response Factors in Kentucky Accident", "Carowinds thrill ride closed for inspection", "Kentucky Kingdom ride accident victim speaks out for safety changes", "Teen Who Lost Legs on Thrill Ride Talks About Ordeal", "Amusement Park Reaches Accident Settlement", "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2016", "La Venganza Del Enigma | Parque Warner Madrid", "More thrill rides closed after teen injured", Superman: Tower of Power (Six Flags Over Texas), Superman: Tower of Power at the Six Flags Over Texas Official Website, Superman: Tower of Power at the Six Flags St. Louis Official Website, Scooby-Doo! 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