Kentucky Department of Agriculture continues probe into June 1 accident at Louisville Zoo.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, June 8, 2009

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-1137 

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has asked the Louisville Zoo to move the train that overturned on June 1 into storage under Department supervision within the next two weeks.

 

Department officials also are continuing to take statements from witnesses to the train accident. The investigation will continue over the next several weeks.

 

“We have learned all that we are going to learn about the accident at the scene,” said Chad Halsey, chief amusement ride inspector in the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Division of Regulation and Inspection. “The next step is to get the machine into a controlled environment where we can more thoroughly analyze the components. We will look at the electronics, the mechanicals, the hydraulics – every aspect of the machine. And we will go wherever the evidence leads to determine exactly what happened and why.”

 

The Department will issue a final report once its investigation is complete. The ride remains under a stop operation order issued by the Department following the accident.

 

Riders, witnesses and others who may have information pertinent to the Department’s investigation may contact the Department at (502) 573-0282 and ask for the amusement ride inspection program.

 

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is required by state law to inspect all amusement rides that operate within the Commonwealth once a year before the ride is opened for the season. Inspectors also respond to public complaints and are authorized to perform random inspections. If an inspector finds an issue with a ride that would prevent it from operating safely, that issue must be addressed before the ride passes inspection. If an inspector finds an issue with a ride that does not affect the ride’s safe operation, the ride may pass inspection and that issue may be addressed at a later time.

 

The train in the June 1 accident was inspected on Jan. 22 and was found to be operating normally. The inspector noted items to be corrected that did not affect the safe operation of the ride.

 

The Department will have no further statement on the accident till further notice as the investigation is ongoing.