Crack In Support Pillar For ‘Longest Steel Coaster’ In U.S., Fury 325, Formed 6-10 Days Before Closure, Commissioner Says

The amusement park Carowinds in North Carolina was forced to close one of its roller coasters, the Fury 325, last week after the park discovered that there was a crack in a support pillar. 

Now, North Carolina Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson has told reporters that the crack may have formed six to ten days before it was spotted.

The Fury 325 is a popular ride, as it is known to be one of the longest and tallest rides in the park. 

Carowinds reported that they closed the ride down, “after park personnel became aware of a crack at the top of a steel support pillar.”

They have asserted that their maintenance team is taking care of the damages and managing a “thorough inspection” of the coaster and will only open again once repairs have finished. The Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau from the North Carolina Department of Labor is investigating the matter. 

Carowinds stated that all the rides “undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.” 

A video was taken by a visitor of the crack while people were riding the Fury 325. In the video, you can see the pillar move slightly as the coaster zooms by. 

In the 1980s, Congress rescinded the power to oversee fixed-site amusement parks from the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission. The job was given to local or state governments. 

Last year, it was reported that around 40,000 injuries were caused on amusement rides, which include inflatables, rides and waterslides. 

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According to Carowinds, the Fury 325 reaches all the way to 325 feet at a speed of 95 m.p.h. Their website states that the “Fury 325 is North America’s longest steel coaster, and is over 1.25 miles long. The average ride time is 3.25 minutes, and the ride crosses both North and South Carolina state lines.”

Carowinds, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary, did not close and the rest of the rides were open.