Private inspectors in charge of Tennessee fair ride safety
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Investigators haven’t yet determined how a Ferris wheel seat flipped over at a Tennessee county fair and sent three children plummeting 30 to 45 feet to the ground.
The accident left a 6-year-old girl with a traumatic brain injury and sharpened the focus Tuesday on how carnival ride operators are regulated.
After a 2014 audit found shortcomings in Tennessee’s regulatory program for rides at fairs and amusement parks, state officials decided to get out of the inspection business altogether.
Now, the state relies on private inspectors hired by operators and other states’ regulators to determine whether roller coasters, zip lines and Ferris wheels are safe.
Authorities say the three youngsters fell from the ride at the Greene County Fair in eastern Tennessee on Monday night.
