Orlando FreeFall: Operating group plans to take down ride after teen's amusement park death
Florida officials said they were considering shutting down the Orlando FreeFall after a teenager fell to his death from the ride
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Florida company operating the Orlando FreeFall ride, from which a 14-year-old died after falling off on March 24, is planning to close the attraction.
Tyre Sampson, 14, died after falling off of the Orlando FreeFall at Icon Park in Orlando, Florida, on March 24.
In a statement on Thursday, Orlando Slingshot, the company that operates the Orlando FreeFall, announced the ride will be taken down.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Orlando Slingshot announced it has decided to take down the 400-foot-tall FreeFall ride attraction on International Drive. The decision resulted from the accidental death of Tyre Sampson on March 24," the company said in a statement.
Tyre Sampson fatally fell from the FreeFall ride in Orlando's ICON Park in March 2022. (Fox 35 Orlando)
"We are devastated by Tyre’s death. We have listened to the wishes of Tyre’s family and the community, and have made the decision to take down the FreeFall," said Ritchie Armstrong, who works for Orlando Slingshot.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Armstrong also said that the company will create a scholarship to honor Tyre.
"In addition, Orlando Slingshot will honor Tyre and his legacy in the classroom and on the football field by creating a scholarship in his name," Armstrong said.
A timeline for the removal of the attraction is pending and "will be determined by the approvals of all involved parties and regulatory entities."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ICON Park, where the ride is located, said in a statement that it supports the Orlando Slingshot's decision to take down the ride.
"Tyre’s death is a tragedy that we will never forget. As the landlord, ICON Park welcomes and appreciates Orlando Slingshot’s decision to take down the ride," ICON Park said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The ride has been closed since the incident happened on March 24, and Nikki Fried, the Florida commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, said during a press conference in June that the ride might be closed for good.
Fried said that maladjustments made to the seat's proximity sensor triggered the safety light, incorrectly allowing Sampson to ride even though he was not "properly secured in the seat."
"These maladjustments allowed the safety lights to illuminate – improperly satisfying the ride's electronic safety mechanisms — that allowed the ride to operate even though Mr. Sampson was not properly secured in the seat," Fried said. "The report confirms that manual adjustments had been made to the sensor for the seat in question that allowed the harness' restraint opening to be almost double that of the normal restraints opening range."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ORLANDO FREEFALL: FLORIDA LAW 'LOOPHOLE' MAY HAVE LEFT TEEN RIDER IN DEATH TRAP: EXPERT
An initial report by the department states that the harness that Sampson occupied had a proximity sensor that "was manually loosened, adjusted, and tightened to allow a restraint opening of near 7 inches."
Normally, the range is around 3 inches, according to the report.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ben Crump and Bob Hilliard, who are representing Sampson's father, said in a statement that the announcement is a "relief," but added that the ride shouldn't have operated under faulty conditions.
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"While this announcement is long overdue, the news today is a relief to Tyre Sampson’s grieving father, who has been advocating for this since the day Tyre fell to his death. The Orlando Free Fall ride never should have been permitted to operate under those faulty conditions. Theme parks, their parent companies, and regulatory agencies must do better to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening to any other family," the attorneys said.