Florida’s Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nicole ‘Friedie’ announced the findings of a medical examiner in the March 24 incident that killed Tire Sampson from St. Louis, Missouri, in ICON Park, Orlando. Fried said the report showed that the operator of the park’s FreeFall ride, the world’s tallest independent fall tower at 430 feet, “made manual adjustments to the route, making it unsafe.” Tire Sampson family and friends leave flowers and other objects in a vigil in front of the Orlando Free Fall Fall Tower at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, March 28, 2022. Sampson, 14, was killed when he fell from a walk. last week. The report by Quest Engineering & Failure Analysis, Inc., reported that manual manipulations were performed on the seat in which Sampson was sitting to allow the belt buckle to loosen, apparently to accommodate the teenager, who weighed more than 300 pounds. Fried said the opening of the restraint belt was “almost twice the normal width of the restraint opening”. Fried said the adjustment of the individual operator, who was not identified in the report, allowed the FreeFall sensor lights to illuminate, “improperly satisfying” the route’s electronic safety features and allowing the route to operate, although Mr Sampson did not he was properly insured in his place “. “This report answers the question of what happened mechanically as our investigation now enters the next phase of how and why it happened as we look forward to possible sanctions along with any changes in rules and regulations needed to help prevent future tragedies,” he said. Fried. at a press conference. The report showed that the average opening of the restraint system for other positions on the route was 3.33 inches, which is considered “normal”. The Sampson seat was adjusted before the start of the journey to a 7.19-inch opening, according to the report. “During the deceleration, Tire Sampson slipped through the gap between the seat and the belt” and fell to his death, according to the report. The medical examiner who wrote the report said his findings were based in part on an examination of the route, video of the incident and a representation of two people, one 6 feet 3, the other 6 feet 5, both weighing between 200 and 300 pounds. The Orlando Free Fall off of International Drive, hours after a 14-year-old boy fell to his death from a walk on March 25, 2022, in Orlando, Florida. “During our investigation, two people were placed in a seat with an opening of 6 to 10 inches. Both people were able to slip out of the opening of the restraint system without assistance,” according to the report. The medical examiner’s investigation concluded that the walk “did not show any mechanical or electrical damage”. The report also found that “there are many other possible contributions to the cause of the accident”, but did not provide further details. Fried did not receive any questions from reporters and said she would not comment further until the investigation was completed. He said the FreeFall route would be closed indefinitely. Fried said she spoke to Sampson’s parents before the press conference to inform them of the medical examiner’s report. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, told a news conference that the manufacturer’s instructions for FreeFall specifically state that the rider’s maximum weight is 250 pounds. “Tire Sampson weighed over 300 pounds. So, yes, that’s out of the manufacturer’s instructions,” Thompson said. Thompson said she was “very upset” by the report. He said he had contacted the Sampson family’s lawyer, Ben Crump. “As you can imagine, the family is in shock,” Thompson said. “You send your 14-year-old son for the spring break and he does not return alive. So, they are in shock.” ICON Park said in a statement to ABC News on Monday that it was “deeply concerned” by the report’s findings. “We are deeply concerned that the preliminary findings of the State investigation show that a sensor at the Orlando FreeFall site, owned and operated by the SlingShot Group, was incorrectly adjusted after the sensor was initially locked in place,” the statement said. . “ICON Park is committed to providing a safe, fun experience for families. We will continue to support the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services with its ongoing research.” SlingShot Group, the route operator, did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment Monday. The company said in a statement after Sampson’s death that it was “injured” by the incident and that it was cooperating with authorities and equestrian officials in the investigation. ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
