LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Attendees ride a Ferris wheel at the 18th annual Electric Daisy Carnival at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on June 20, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Wednesday, July 26th, in the evening, an unfortunate event occurred at the Ohio State Fair. The ride, “Fire Ball,” broke down, injuring seven and fatally killing one male.
The victim killed in the accident has been identified as 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell, who recently graduated from Franklin Heights High School and enlisted in the Marines on July 22. Seven other victims, including two in critical condition, have also been identified. Jarrell’s girlfriend, Keziah Lewis, 19, is among the critical victims. Two other victims remain hospitalized.
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According to the Columbus Dispatch, the man was “thrown from the ride” and killed on impact. One eyewitness told The Dispatch that “he heard a loud sound of metal cracking then looked to see two men being thrown off the ride, one of them from up high.” The cause of the ride malfunction has not yet been determined.
https://twitter.com/eckardbills/status/890360671426228225
The incident took place around 7:19 p.m. local time, according to ABC Action News Tampa. All rides at the Fair have been shut down until they pass a new round of inspections, said Ohio Governor John Kasich at Wednesday night’s press conference.
The Fire Ball had been inspected several times, including by a third-party company, according to NBC Columbus. Ohio Department of Agriculture chief ride inspector Michael Vartorella said that the inspection process in lengthy, as the ride has several pieces to it.
The Fire Ball ride is described as an “aggressive thrill” ride on Amusements of America’s website. The ride “swings riders 40′ above the midway while spinning them at 13 revolutions per minute.” The ride holds 24 passengers in four-seat sections at the end of six spoke arms.
Authorities have released a list of the injured:
Tamika Dunap, 36, Reynoldsburg, OH
Russell Franks, 42, Columbus, OH
Keziah Lewis, 19, Columbus, OH
Jacob Andrews, 22, Pataskala, OH
Jennifer Lambert, 18, Columbus, OH
Abdihakim Hussein, 19, Columbus, OH
A 14-year-old male whose name is being withheld at request of the family
