Posted on 06/26/16
| News Source: Sunday Express
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the Tsunami ride at M&D's theme park in Motherwell, Scotland come off the tracks and crash onto the concrete leaving casualties trapped in the wreckage.
A group of dads struggled to lift the derailed carriage which crashed upside down leaving riders as young as ten-years-old trapped in the wreckage. .
Eyewitnesses have described the scene at M&D's theme park in Motherwell, Scotland as "carnage".
It's believed eight to ten people were on board the ride as it flew off the rails on a corner and plummeted to the ground onto a child's ride at around 3.40pm.
At least seven people are believed to be injured. It's unclear how serious there injuries are.
The Scottish ambulance service said six ambulance crews, a special operations response team and a team of emergency doctors had been sent to the park to respond to the incident.
TWITTER/ @COLUM MARTIN
Park visitors try to save people from the carriage
TWITTER/ DEMI CAMPBELL
The rollercoaster plunged 30ft to the ground according to eyewitnesses
A full load came off the track but and on the pavement, like a horror film worse thing ever heard and seen, can't get over this.
The park has been evacuated and closed until further notice.
Katie Burns said she had just finished riding the Tsunami rollercoaster and was walking past when the carriage crashed with children on board.
On Facebook, she said: "Literally got off the Tsunami at M&Ds and then walking past and the next lot of people get on and the full thing goes off the tracks.
"Honestly never been so scared in my life, with this weather they should not be on.
"Kids and adults are still on it upside down, it's like something out a horror film, children crying and everything.
"Literally can't believe this, my heart goes out to everyone on it, a full load came off the track but and on the pavement, like a horror film worse thing ever heard and seen, can't get over this."
TWITTER/ DEMI CAMPBELL
Lanarkshire Police are at the scene
TWITTER/ ADAM WILSON
One of the ride's wheels reportedly flew off when the rollercoaster derailed
The ride is Scotland’s only inverted rollercoaster and reaches speeds of up to 65kmph through corkscrew twists, turns and loops over 650km of track.
Eyewitness James Millerick said he heard "shrieks" from other customers.
He said: "When we got there the rollercoaster had come off the track entirely - straight through the gated fence at the side of the rollercoaster and was upside down on the concrete path at the side.
"There were maybe seven or eight individuals, mostly of younger age between maybe 10 and 15 years old that were actually trapped inside the rollercoaster lying on the ground. The harnesses were still on as well so there was absolutely no movement."
He said he thought the rollercoaster had slipped off the tracks as it came around a corner but did not fall from the highest point.
A number of rides had been closed at the park because of bad weather with eyewitnesses reporting the conditions were extremely wet.
Children under 10 are not allowed to use the ride, and under 14s must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Park visitors said they heard screaming and shouting as one group of teenagers repeatedly shouted for their friend.
Another picture, taken by Dean Borris, shows people trapped upside down in their seats on the carriage, with their legs protruding into the air.
Adam Wilson tweeted a photo of one of the rollercoasters wheels which reportedly flew off during the crash.
Eyewitness Demi Campbell tweeted: "In shock at what I've just witnessed in M&Ds. Hope everyone is safe. I'm in complete shock."
Ruth Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, tweeted: "Awful news coming from M&D's. Deeply concerning - our thoughts are with those affected and with emergency responders."
FACEBOOK
M&D's said the park was closed until further notice while emergency services attended the scene
Lanarkshire Police confirmed the incident was ongoing.
In a statement Lanarkshire Police said: "Emergency services are responding to an ongoing incident at M&Ds theme park in Motherwell and further updates will be given in due course."
A spokesperson for M&D's said: "A serious incident occurred at M&D's today involving the Tsunami rollercoaster. We have all emergency services on site to assist. The theme park is closed until further notice."
In 2011, nine people were rescued from the same ride after being trapped for eight hours.
They were stranded 60 feet from the ground.