Carnival rides seem to have made the news in a negative light. Just weeks removed from a ride-related incident involving the death of a Florida teenager, one ride operator not far from where it occurred is lucky to be alive after an incident of his own.
28-year-old Carnival Worker Davontai Lee was operating a ride when one of the metal parts came down on him. He was trapped underneath and was yelling for help while other operators were in the process of keeping the ride in motion. Police in Clay County, Florida are continuing to investigate what happened.
The incident happened at the Clay County Fair in Green Cove Springs. Lee was attempting to grab an item that a passenger had dropped and he was pinned down by a large plate of metal that was part of the ride.
The lower half of his body had been pinned for about 15 minutes until he was freed by rescue workers. During the rescue efforts, Lee was seen screaming in pain. He was rushed to a local medical center where he was treated for his injuries.
He is expected to recover. The ride was not malfunctioning at the time of the incident and has since remained operational for the time being. The incident had been captured on video by witnesses.
This is the second ride-related incident to have made headlines in Florida recently. Weeks ago, Tyre Samson was killed when he fell to his death on a ride at the ICON Park in Orlando. The ride was 430 feet high and Samson fell nearly two thirds of the way down.
Samson’s harness appeared to be in the locked position when the ride stopped. However, Samson somehow slipped out. The family of the boy is seeking legal action as a result.
No matter where you are, it’s important to be safe on these rides. Operators should also be aware of their surroundings as well. Lee may have retrieved an item for a passenger, but may not want to make that mistake again.
There may have been some miscommunication between Lee and his ride operators. However, it may not be a wise idea to risk your life doing something as simple as retrieving an item from a place that may be potentially dangerous. Lee is lucky to be alive after the incident and there is no telling whether he’ll be back to work at his current job or not.
