By Jessica Schladebeck
New York Daily News
MASON, Ohio — A man was in critical condition on Thursday after he was seemingly struck by a roller coaster at an Ohio amusement park, according to park officials.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday night at Kings Island Central theme park in Mason, just northeast of Cincinnati. First responders, including those from the local police and fire departments, responded to the park around 8 p.m. after receiving reports of a 38-year-old man getting hit by a rollercoaster, resulting in “traumatic injury,” Fox 19 reported.
The man was transported to West Chester Hospital, then airlifted to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, according to Butler County Scanner Traffic’s post on X.
In a statement early Thursday, Kings Island Central confirmed that a man had been struck by one of its rides.
“KICentral is saddened to learn that this evening someone entered a restricted area of Banshee and was struck by a Banshee train,” it said. “We are unaware of their condition. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
A witness told WXIX the unidentified man climbed a fence and into the restricted area to retrieve his keys.
“The ride remains closed while local authorities and park personnel conduct an investigation,” park officials said. “Kings Island’s focus continues to be on the welfare of the guest and his family.”
The Banshee which opened in 2014, reaches speed of 68 mph and is 167 feet tall. According to the Kings Island website, it is “the world’s longest steel inverted roller coaster.”
©2024 New York Daily News.
Visit nydailynews.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.