The state agency inspecting Carowinds’ record-breaking roller coaster Fury 325 confirmed the discovery of a second fracture. The state released the findings on Friday, July 28th.
Since June 30, Fury 325 has been closed after a park visitor observed a broken support beam as a train carrying riders passed by the support beam of the ride. The steel column was replaced in mid-July by Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers Inc., the Swiss company that designed and constructed the roller coaster.
Ongoing inspections are being conducted by B&M, Carowinds, a third-party testing firm, and the Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau of the North Carolina Department of Labor. Following the installation, the park also conducted 500 test cycles at night. As its investigation of the voyage continues, the Department of Labor reported on Friday that a second “weld indication, which could be either a crack or a break,” was discovered. The department did not specify which portion of the roller coaster or when the most recent issue was discovered.
The roller coaster will not reopen until the state agency authorizes an operating certificate, which has not yet occurred. The amusement park issued a statement earlier this month stating that it had no reopening date for Fury 325.
Local source The Charlotte Observer reached out to Carowinds for a statement.
“During such reviews, it is not uncommon to discover slight weld indications in various locations of a steel superstructure. It is important to note that these indications do not compromise the structural integrity or safety of the ride. Once a repair is completed, it undergoes inspection and approval before the ride is deemed operational.”
Source: The Charlotte Observer