Australia - 4 people dead on Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride, Gold Coast, 2016

  • #121
Its taken a while but some clarity has come upon me in terms trying to "get" why this is so bothersome. So sad. so brutal . Life entails risk, climbing aboard a tube that is going to go 475 mph at 39000 feet has understandable risks, An elevator sure.

Sitting down on an inner tube to be pushed around by some man-made man water movement the notion of risk really does not enter ones realm of possibility.

Just like plane instances we are going to find it was so many things that had to happen in a perfect order for this to happen. If someone weighed 10 lbs more or less, if someone would have taken 8 seconds longer to "board", if a wave hit it at a different angle,if the conveyer belt had "gripped" it two inches off, everything could be different.

I still don't really believe that there were two operators that day. That did not come out for days, and after something like happens one would think that would have been pretty quickly established. Where did the angle of it being her first day on the job come from (who could create such a thing) then be refuted.

That is not hard, How long have you worked here? There is really not a reason why someone at that point in time would think oh I am going to say I just started 4 hours ago, after seeing what she saw and felt. It makes no sense. I believe it was her first day, cause its too crazy for that to have been fact for four days before spin comes out - same as the there were two employees there.

Who were you working with no-one or Bob, its a concrete question- one that is easily confirmed , all this she's been there a year and had a coworker there did not emerge for four days. IMO, as the sleaziness of the organization emerges, I am going with she started 4 hours ago andI was alone.

Fine there were two people on some schedule and that person had to urinate whatever. Its spin. IMO , in that 35 seconds she was there alone - so guess what if you had three people on , at minimum wage, when someone had to use the restroom there would never be "one" person.

I still don't understand the "rush" to get people on. I get it for theatre - the show starts. I get it for airplanes the airplane pushes back, I get it for insulin, an inner tube going down some water ought not to be this high rush "activity" - and if we get down to it, they already have everyone' money. So where is this rush that we all have heard about , all over the park, what is the reason?

In a subtle way part of the wait is part of the "action" --watching people's reaction when they come off, or start. Its a movie trailer to the experience when it is your turn.

Just how it works imo.

And the thought that some 18 year old could face jail time is repulsive to me. If any jail time is involved its should be engineering, staffing people training people. This outfit was , at this point in time we all have learned., awful to work for. They are the ones that should be behind bars.

I find her 167K donation repulsive- its a tax write-off, you care write out 5 checks to the people who have been devastated. I never from minute one ever understood how the red cross got involved from the get go.

Don't get me going on the red cross! I volunteered when Katrina victims got bussed here - I shall leave that alone for now .

On this story I just end up angry, no one can prevent a mentally ill person from being mental and doing something "bad". But an inner tube floating around atop of some water just ought not end up with people gruesomely dying- the only thing that makes sense here is greed - that's it.

I shared my shock when they said they were gonna open on Friday - that was disgusting to me, I was so glad when that greedy idea got canned. A memorial with all proceeds going somewhere - yeh right did you include all the food and drinks you were gonna sell that day?


I went down to Pulse twice, I did not want to go INSIDE. What were people supposed to do there that Friday? Ride rides? That is insulting and akin to me wanting to go inside Pulse nightclub and put on some Vicki Sue Robinson and dance - it was disgusting to me, and I hoped no-one would show up!


Deep in my heart, I hope the place never opens up again. Are they paying their poor employees today?

If it never opens are they gonna give all these folks some pay for a while for them to get re-situated? Doubtfull huh?

I hope when it opens no one shows up, shut your crappy place down, take the tax writeoff and be gone.......

It is such a sad story......

And oh, a "unique" system prevented rides operating inadvertently." if that does not sound like a congressman answering a question with nothing .................what does that even mean --------anyone?
 
  • #122
Late to this thread. First of all what horrific and avoidable deaths for the victims and such a severely traumatising event for innocent bystanders and emergency services alike. My heart goes out to each and every person affected.

My first thought on reading through the thread was 'Were they running the pump at reduced capacity because it couldn't cope with normal volume of water it had to pump per unit of time to keep the water level at the optimum depth for the safe operation of the ride?'. If this was the case, the switch wouldn't have been able to operate effectively. Just thinking out loud. Allegedly.
 
  • #123
It was the gaps between the slats on the conveyor belt. They died because no one took that hazard seriously enough.

Whether or not they would have drown anyway, can't be known, because they were dumped into a meat grinder. I hope the families sue the pants off these people. This is just soooo inexcusable.
 
  • #124
I had to look up what they could possibly mean by the unique lock-out tag-out system that prevented rides operating inadvertently & came up with this simple definition of the term from wiki (not a unique system as such, it's used around the world as a safety precaution tool):

Lockout-tagout (LOTO) or lock and tag is a safety procedure which is used in industry and research settings to ensure that dangerous machines are properly shut off and not able to be started up again prior to the completion of maintenance or servicing work. It requires that hazardous energy sources be "isolated and rendered inoperative" before work is started on the equipment in question. The isolated power sources are then locked and a tag is placed on the lock identifying the worker who has placed it. The worker then holds the key for the lock ensuring that only he or she can start the machine. This prevents accidental startup of a machine while it is in a hazardous state or while a worker is in direct contact with it.
Lockout-tagout is used across industries as a safe method of working on hazardous equipment and is mandated by law in some countries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockout-tagout
 
  • #125
It was the gaps between the slats on the conveyor belt. They died because no one took that hazard seriously enough.

Whether or not they would have drown anyway, can't be known, because they were dumped into a meat grinder. I hope the families sue the pants off these people. This is just soooo inexcusable.

I wonder why they even began removing the slats?
If they were wood, were they deteriorating with the water and elements & so they just removed them & didn't think it necessary to replace them?
 
  • #126
Late to this thread. First of all what horrific and avoidable deaths for the victims and such a severely traumatising event for innocent bystanders and emergency services alike. My heart goes out to each and every person affected.

My first thought on reading through the thread was 'Were they running the pump at reduced capacity because it couldn't cope with normal volume of water it had to pump per unit of time to keep the water level at the optimum depth for the safe operation of the ride?'. If this was the case, the switch wouldn't have been able to operate effectively. Just thinking out loud. Allegedly.

We keep getting mixed info. FIrst water levels, then came in the pump and now a sensor that is supposed control distance between rafes
 
  • #127
The kids were at the front & the adults at back of raft , children flipped out to survive . * top heavy center of gravity . It looks dangerous to begin with ! Imo .
So sorry this is how it is . Unnatural tragedy

sent from a tiny cheap gadget
cracked me up
 
  • #128
Swiss company Intamin are now putting it out there that they have had absolutely no involvement whatsoever with the ride involved with the tragic accident at Dreamworld.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/m...eamworld-theme-park-kills-4-raft-ride-n672301
Thunder River Rapids was built in 1986, according to Australian theme-park database Parkz. The database said the ride was built by Swiss-based company Intamin, but a spokesman for the firm told NBC News that this information was incorrect, and that it played no part in designing or manufacturing the ride.


.



[h=3]Like everyone in our industry, we are shocked and saddened about the tragic event at Dreamworld.[/h][h=3]Please be informed that this ride was neither built by Intamin nor supplied by Intamin. We are therefore not in the position to make any comment.[/h][h=3]Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected.[/h]on their webpage

http://www.intaminworldwide.com/amusement/Home/News/tabid/196/Default.aspx

[TABLE="class: Template3, width: 675"]
[TR]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #D8D8D8, colspan: 8"]Like everyone in our industry, we are shocked and saddened about the tragic event at Dreamworld.

Please be informed that this ride was neither built by Intamin nor supplied by Intamin. We are therefore not in the position to make any comment.

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected.

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #000000"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
  • #129
Oh dear it wasn't meant to be funny , but im not good literature writing . So I meant the balance of the raft wasnt central . just one piece of the puzzle tho , it really looks easy to flip & the kids may have been quick to respond by flying like squirrels to the sides of the danger zone , Imo ( because ppl talked/ wondered about how the kids survived )

sent from a tiny cheap gadget
 
  • #130
[h=2]Dreamworld theme park in Gold Coast, Australia, appoints inspector to provide advice following recent tragic accident - 9 News Gold Coast


[/h][h=2]Australian police report their Dreamworld theme park accident investigation is 'growing in complexity' - @newscomauHQ



[/h]
 
  • #131
Oh dear it wasn't meant to be funny , but im not good literature writing . So I meant the balance of the raft wasnt central . just one piece of the puzzle tho , it really looks easy to flip & the kids may have been quick to respond by flying like squirrels to the sides of the danger zone , Imo ( because ppl talked/ wondered about how the kids survived )

sent from a tiny cheap gadget
I was refering to the tiny cheap gadget ! i thought you were doing something like when it says sent on iphone 5 or whatever!!
 
  • #132
DREAMWORLD owner Ardent Leisure has appointed a retired police inspector to provide specialist advice on “community healing” after this week’s tragedy.

Embattled Ardent CEO Deborah Thomas said Inspector Mike McKay would help develop a program with the park’s CEO, the public and the authorities, and “then and only then” would a the company think about reopening Dreamworld.
Inspector McKay — who worked for Queensland Police for 41 years in criminal
investigation, counter terrorism and disaster recovery — is charged with helpingrestore trust in Dreamworld after widespread criticism of the park following the incident in which four died on a ride.
http://www.news.com.au/national/que...t/news-story/5205280cd2cadf6b6a5132d7379215e6
 
  • #133
A BRISBANE lawyer has said that companies like Dreamworld are too concerned about their bottom line to worry about safety — and they’ve been allowed to get away with it.

Alison Barrett, from Maurice Blackburn, said standards are now so relaxed and penalties so minimal that firms become “complacent.”
After four people died on a ride at the Gold Coast theme park, the personal injury specialist said company directors needed to be held responsible for what happens on their watch.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...n/news-story/f3f3d3c2774e1e826d00184725fb63f4
 
  • #134
And, very poignant, from the same article ^ :

“The government is promoting the idea of self-regulation, but it’s not working. They’re flouting their own laws. They needed to be held accountable.
“Each state needs an independent commission to scrutinise complaints. The Commonwealth Government has a role to step in on manslaughter law and put in minimum standards so company directors are criminally responsible if people get hurt.”
Ms Barrett noted that the victims were not just those who died and their families but also emergency services and Dreamworld visitors.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...n/news-story/f3f3d3c2774e1e826d00184725fb63f4
 
  • #135
DREAMWORLD owner Ardent Leisure has appointed a retired police inspector to provide specialist advice on “community healing” after this week’s tragedy.

Embattled Ardent CEO Deborah Thomas said Inspector Mike McKay would help develop a program with the park’s CEO, the public and the authorities, and “then and only then” would a the company think about reopening Dreamworld.
Inspector McKay — who worked for Queensland Police for 41 years in criminal
investigation, counter terrorism and disaster recovery — is charged with helpingrestore trust in Dreamworld after widespread criticism of the park following the incident in which four died on a ride.
http://www.news.com.au/national/que...t/news-story/5205280cd2cadf6b6a5132d7379215e6

A bit of a chequered history has our Michael:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...doomadgee-report/story-e6frg6n6-1225887782511

Recipient of the APM for his service including his disaster recovery work after the Lockyer Valley floods:

http://m.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/commitment-to-flood-areas-acknowledged-toowoomba/1412046/
 
  • #136
We keep getting mixed info. FIrst water levels, then came in the pump and now a sensor that is supposed control distance between rafes

Yes, it seems like a bit of a dog's breakfast. The media drives me nuts sometimes. Just the facts, Ma'am!
 
  • #137
  • #138
Oh dear, after reading your'e link involving McKay in the Australian, I'm very worried!

There will be an inquest and findings by the Qld Coroner though.
 
  • #139
Inspector Mike McKay accepted the position offered by Ardent Leisure, the operator of Dreamworld, on Sunday to work closely with the park's CEO Craig Davidson to provide advice on the Dreamworld and the Gold Coast community recovery following the death of four adults on one of the theme park's rides on Tuesday.
Ardent Leisure CEO Deborah Thomas said Inspector McKay, the recipient of the Australian Police Medal for his 41-year contribution to policing in Queensland, was appointed on the personal recommendation of the state's Police Commissioner Ian Stewart.
Mr McKay said his first order of business was understanding the logistics of the tragedy which claimed four lives, with a long-term goal to restore international trust.
http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/...o-help-dreamworld-gold-coast-rebuild/?cs=2452
BBM

I feel quite sickened and disheartened by this. Restore international trust, what ... so this tragedy can fade away and the money can start rolling in again?
What about the 140 plus pages of incident reports the regulator's just released to the media?
 
  • #140


[RSBM.]

Mr McKay said his first order of business was understanding the logistics of the tragedy which claimed four lives, with a long-term goal to restore international trust.
http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/...o-help-dreamworld-gold-coast-rebuild/?cs=2452
BBM

I feel quite sickened and disheartened by this. Restore international trust, what ... so this tragedy can fade away and the money can start rolling in again?
What about the 140 plus pages of incident reports the regulator's just released to the media?

Ardent wants to divest themselves of Dreamworld. This is simple damage control. Call me cynical...
 

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