Orlando Florida. – The Orlando Free Fall attraction began dismantling nearly a year after the death of Tire Sampson, a 14-year-old who fell from the device on March 24, 2022.
The Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot Company began dismantling the ride after reaching a settlement with the Florida Department of Agriculture agreeing to shut down the ride and pay a $250,000 fine.
After months of investigation by government and private entities, it was discovered that the machine had been manually manipulated and adjusted to allow the seat to open further.
An independent forensic investigation by an engineering firm determined that the seat the young man was in had been manually tampered with so that it was open almost twice as wide as it was supposed to be.
They seek to regulate the maintenance of attractions
Senator Geraldine Thompson filed SB 902 to more aggressively regulate ride maintenance.
The measure, which if passed will be known as the “Tyre Sampson Act,” would require permanent rides first operating in Florida after a specified date to have a commissioning and certification report from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. specific period.
It would also authorize the ministry to carry out unannounced inspections for specific purposes, to review the circumstances in which a ride owner or manager must report an accident and in which the ministry can seize a ride involved in an accident.