Out-of-state inspectors join Ohio State Fair investigation

TONIGHT -- INVESTIGATORS
AT THE OHIO STATE FAIR HAVE A
CHALLENGE AHEAD OF THEM --
FIGURING OUT áWHY AN popular
RIDE BROKE APART.
TODAY -- WE LEARNED 18-
YEAR-OLD "TYLER JERRELL" WHO
DIED IN THE ACCIDENT -- WAS A
MARINE RECRUIT.
NOW -- THE OHIO STATE HIGHWAY
PATROL IS BRINGING IN
áOUT-OF-STATE RIDE INSPECTORS
-- PARTLY TO RELY ON THEIR
EXPERTISE OF RIDE MALFUNCTIONS.
MALFUNCTIONS.
I-TEAM REPORTER HILLARY LAKE
JOINS US LIVE FROM COLUMBUS.
SHE'S DIGGING INTO WHAT
OFFICIALS ARE UP AGAINST.
THAT INVESTIGATION IS GOING
TO TAKE TIME.THE FAIR ITSELF
IS OPEN, BUT THE MIDWAY WHERE
THE RIDES ARE BEHIND US IS
STILL CLOSED TONIGHT.
INSPECTORS TELL US THEY'RE
GOING OVER ALL 74 RIDES HERE
AGAIN, AND AGAIN.WHILE THIS
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT WEIGHS
HEAVY.
"When we have a tragedy like
this it hits everybody, it
hits really hard."EMOTION IS
RAW IN MICHAEL VARTORELLA'S
VOICE AS HE TALKS ABOUT THE
WORST AMUSEMENT RIDE ACCIDENT
IN OHIO STATE FAIR HISTORY
VARTORELLA OVERSEES THE
STATE'S RIDE INSPECTORS.
INSPECTORS.
"We look at them as they go
up. We look at them when
they're up...we make sure
they're safe."RECORDS SHOW HIS
TEAM GAVE THE MASSIVE
"FIREBALL" A CLEAN BILL OF
HEALTH WEDNESDAY HOURS BEFORE
IT BROKE APART.SO DID THE RIDE
OPERATORS FROM THE RIDE'S
OWNERS "AMUSEMENTS OF AMERICA"
THE ACCIDENT KILLED A 18
YEAR-OLD TYLER JARRELL OF
COLUMBUS AND HURT 7 OTHERS.
"Put it up from multiple
trucks. It comes together.
It's bolted together."THE RIDE
FORCEFULLY TWIRLS 24 PEOPLE
SOME 40 FEET OFF THE GROUND.
VARTORELLA'S TEAM IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTING
MORE THAN 4000 RIDES AND
ATTRACTIONS LIKE THIS ACROSS
THE STATE. 223215 "There are
no guarantees. Mechanical or
structural damage can be done
when you can't see it. Metal
fatigue sometimes...things not
visual.THERE'S NO FEDERAL
OVERSIGHT FOR AMUSEMENT RIDE
INSPECTIONS. OHIO LAW REQUIRES
THE STATE INSPECTIONS, AND IT
REQUIRES THE RIDE OWNER TO DO
A THIRD PARTY INSPECTION.
RECORDS SHOW THE RIDE ALSO
PASSED THAT TEST LAST YEAR.
VARTORELLA'S BOSS, DAVID
DANIELS, SAYS STATE INSPECTORS
GET CONTINUOUS TRAINING.
191940 "It's important to
remember that amusement rides
are pieces of equipment. They
can fail from timeto time."
NOW INVESTIGATORS MUST
DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THIS
TRAGEDY: MECHANICAL OR HUMAN
ERROR.
THIS ACCIDENT ISN'T THE ONLY
ISSUE AMUSEMENTS OF AMERICA IS
FACING.I DISCOVERED THEY ARE
ALSO NAMED IN A $25 MILLION
DOLLAR FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED
BY A RIDE OPERATOR AT THE FAIR
IN MEMPHIS.HE WAS SEVERELY
SHOCKED LAST FALL WHILE OTHER
OPERATORS WERE SETTING UP
RIDES.WE'RE LIVE IN COLUMBUS,
HILLARY LAKE, NINE ON YOUR
SIDE.
JUST MOMENTS AGO YOU
HEARD THE STATE RIDE INSPECTOR
TALK ABOUT THINGS INSPECTORS
CAN'T SEE SUCH AS 'METAL
FATIGUE'. I WANT TO SHOW
YOU HOW THIS RIDE OPERATES AND
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN MOTION.
THE RIDERS, FOUR IN A GROUP,
SPIN AROUND AS THE PENDULUM
SWINGS BACK AND FORTH. IT
IS THIS ARM INSPECTORS ARE
FOCUSING ON AS THIS IS THE
AREA THAT APPEARS TO HAVE
FAILED. A FIREBALL RIDE
OPERATOR I SPOKE WITH FROM A
DIFFERENT ENTERTAINMENT
COMPANY TELLS ME THIS SECTION
OF THE ARM IS HELD TOGETHER BY
10 BOLTS. THOSE BOLTS REQUIRE
SPECIFIC TORQUE AND
REPLACEMENT. HOWEVER THAT
SECTION IS NOT WHERE THE BREAK OCCURRED.
OCCURRED.
I'VE SHOWN THOSE IMAGES TO
THE RIDE OPERATOR PROVIDING ME
BACKGROUND AND HE POINTS OUT
THAT THIS SECTION OF THE ARM
THAT ATTACHES IS HOLLOW AND
HAS A WELD AROUND THIS SLIGHT
BEND IN THE ARM THAT CONNECTS
TO THE SEATS. HE TELLS ME
THAT WHEN THESE PARTS ARE
TRANSPORTED FROM FAIR TO FAIR
THE HOLLOW PART OF THIS ARM
AND THE WELDS ARE OPEN TO THE
ELEMENTS. SO
INVESTIGATORS COULD BE LOOKING
AT WHETHER 'METAL FATIGUE'
PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT SECTION
SPECIFIC SECTION OF THE ARM.

Out-of-state inspectors join Ohio State Fair investigation

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