[UPDATE] Accident At Idlewild Park: Child Falls Off Roller Coaster In Pennsylvania Amusement Park, Life-Flighted To Children’s Hospital

An accident has occurred at Idlewild Park in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, where a child reportedly fell off a roller coaster. The child was life-flighted to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh with unknown injuries.

CBS Pittsburgh reports that the 3-year-old child fell off one of the two roller coasters at Idlewild and Soak Zone, the Rollo Coaster and or the Wild Mouse. Spokeswoman for the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety, Mary Beth Eslary, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the child was conscious when the medics arrived.

Eslary also mentioned that the child was immediately taken to the first-aid building after the incident happened around 12:18 p.m. and was accompanied by the immediate family.

“The immediate family was with the patient at the park.”

The park consists mostly of water rides, but has two roller coasters, the Rollo Coaster and the Wild Mouse. The Wild Mouse is made of steel and has a height requirement of 48-inches. The Rollo Coaster is a more modern roller coaster made of wood with a 36-inch height requirement.

Although it has not been officially revealed which ride the child fell off of, it was reported by Chopper 11 that the Wild Mouse was still operating shortly after the incident occurred, thus making it likely that the accident occurred on the Rollo Coaster.

Unfortunately, this is not the only amusement park accident that has occurred lately. A 10-year-old boy was just recently killed when he fell out of a waterslide in Kansas known as the Verruckt, which in German means “insane.” The boy was decapitated and his funeral is scheduled for this Friday.

A second incident occurred on Monday evening, when three girls fell out of a ferris wheel at a fair in Tennessee. The mother of two of the injured girls recently updated Facebook on the current conditions of her two girls, Kayla and Briley Reynolds. Kayla is doing the better of the two, although she is still in quite a bit of pain after suffering a broken arm. Briley is still considered in critical condition with a brain injury. She is on a ventilator, but “she is fighting.”

There has not been much information provided about the well-being of the third girl, who was unrelated to the two children mentioned above. The 16-year-old went to the hospital Monday evening in critical condition, but it has been reported that she is improving and in stable condition.

The director of the Bureau of Ride and Measurement Standards for Idlewild, Walter Remmert, said an inspector was at the park during the incident conducting a standard inspection.

“I actually have an inspector on site or about to be on site.”

Remmert did not have much information on the incident and neither did the supervisor of the state’s Amusement Ride Safety Division, Joseph Filoromo. Filoromo had immediate plans to find out more on this tragic event.

“I don’t know anything about that. I should. I have no information. I’m going to get somebody on that right now.”

Idlewild park has been around since 1878 and is now known as the best children’s park. In 2012, Idlewild and Soak Zone was recognized with a road marker as tribute for the longest-operating theme park in Pennsylvania. Idlewild and Soak Zone has received the Golden Ticket Award for six years in a row.

This is breaking news and there has been no further updates regarding the child’s well-being. Updates will be released as they become available.

UPDATE

Idlewild and Soak Zone tweeted just 16 minutes ago confirming that the child, a boy, did fall off the Rollo Coaster.

Our thoughts and concerns are with the injured boy and his family. Idlewild&SoakZone remain open however, Rollo Coaster is closed.

— Idlewild & SoakZone (@idlewildpark) August 11, 2016

Further, the child was identified as a Jeannette boy. The three year old has head and chest injuries and is still considered in critical condition. It was also mentioned that the 3-year-old was riding the roller coaster with a 7-year-old.

It has been questioned whether or not they should have been able to ride the roller coaster together without an adult.