Amusement park ride on fire video 37 hurt(Estonia)

Just watched a pretty crazy video of a ride on fire in Estonia, the site its on has a mature section for 18 and over I'm just warning ahead of time.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=abb_1179665585 *** Edited 5/20/2007 11:16:37 PM UTC by supermandl***

Thats definitely 18+. Think of it as worst case scenario for those who don't want to watch it.

OMG that's awful! I hope everyone came out with minor injuries.

That is sad.

It says it was a ferris wheel, but to me it looks like a huss enterprise.

According to the article (just Google "Estonia news") there were only injuries (from smoke inhalation), thankfully no deaths. They call it a "Carousel". *** Edited 5/21/2007 12:23:10 AM UTC by swampfoxer***

I would surmise that it blew a hydraulic line and was ignited by a spark from the lighting slip rings. Same thing happend to a Trabant/Casino a few years ago in New Orleans. There are some states that require flame resistent hydraulic fluid for this very reason. *** Edited 5/21/2007 2:41:01 PM UTC by Dutchman***

Yup. I was operating Orleans Orbit in the early 90's when the main hose sprung a huge leak and the wheel dropped about 10 feet. The fluid doused all of the guests on the ride and sprayed everyone in line, including me, with a fine mist of the stuff. It wasn't fun at all, but I couldn't imagine if it was flamable and there had been a spark.

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swampfoxer said:
According to the article (just Google "Estonia news") there were only injuries (from smoke inhalation), thankfully no deaths. They call it a "Carousel". *** Edited 5/21/2007 12:23:10 AM UTC by swampfoxer***

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Wow! Yeah, that's Carousel in a Logans Run sort-of way. Wow...

Since we know everyone was safe...

Isnt that kind of like.. the Ride everyone has always wanted? Hurling through balls of fire! Sounds intense.

I just don't understand why the ride kept running, unless the control booth was what was on fire. I mean, shouldn't the thing e-stop at that point? I realize maybe the arm wouldn't come down all the way if something was wrong with the hydraulics, but you'd think someone or something would make it stop spinning so people could escape. Creepy and weird, but comforting to know no one was seriously injured.

^^

Would stopping a Huss enterprise be sensible (or possible?) when the ride wasn't in a horizontal position?

R.

Well, it wasn't that far off from horizontal, and I've seen enterprises go up and down at parks with out spinning during maint. routines. Normally, it's probably not sensible, but if I were spinning through fire I'd rather take my chances jumping down a few feet. ;-)

I dunno, but looking at the video it may have been a good thing it kept running, stopping it right where the fire was may have incinerated a few people like being held straight over a campfire on a stick!!!! :O

I agree. Had it stopped before the flames were mostly out the survivors would have fared much worse. By accident or design there were 37 very lucky people that survived.