Episode 758: Amusement Park Disasters: Independent Parks | Forensic Files

Hey weirdos. I'm Ash. And I'm Elena. And you're listening to Morbid [ __ ] >> Whoa. You are [ __ ]
>> I changed it up. >> Good morning, good afternoon, good night. You could be driving tomorrow. Of
course, you could be driving to work, home from work, >> picking up your kid, >> doing laundry,
>> going to sleep, >> just chilling, >> picking your nose, >> farting. >> I hope you're doing all those things
simultaneously, though. Driving to and from work at the same time as picking up your kid.
>> Yeah, I hope you sounded like I sounded like Jou. >> You did. >> You know what really rips?
>> Driving to and from work, bro. Honestly, if you're not listening to Josh, >> Josh,
>> uh, it's J A Wsh on T Tik Tok and Instagram, I think you can find. But, >> uh, we love Josh.
>> We love Josh. >> We love Josh. We love his hottest homie. We changed our husband's contacts to my
hottest homie >> because of Joshomie. >> Um, he's he's delightful. >> I love him and he will tell you what
really rips. >> Yeah, he's just literally the most positive person and he's always just
telling you what rips. in life. >> So if you're looking for something that just rips and to he will show you to
romanticize the small room moments of life. >> Truly nothing but everything rips.
>> Today what ripped for him and for us is that it's [ __ ] Friday the 13th. >> Hell yeah. Hell yeah.
>> And then tomorrow is Valentine's Day. >> Yeah. >> What a [ __ ] weekend we have ahead of
us. >> What a one-two punch. >> I'm going to see Chicago this weekend. >> That's fun. And I'm going to lose my
head. I'm going to lose my head. >> I'm going to lose my head. I've never seen Chicago, first of all.
>> That's going to be great. >> Um, and I'm going to see Whitney from Secret Lives and Mormon Wives. She's
playing Roxy. And I'm so [ __ ] excited. >> I'm excited for you. >> Thank you. What are you doing this
weekend? >> Going to the Science Museum in Boston. >> Okay. >> With the kids. >> That's the most us thing ever. I'm like,
I'm going to New York City for the weekend. And you're like, I'm going to the science museum with my children.
>> Yep. Um, this will come out after, so don't worry. Nobody Nobody will find us.
>> Nobody will find us. >> You never know. >> You never want to say your location
right when you're there. >> No. That's what we are here to teach you. >> Yeah. Little tip from me to you. I don't
post about [ __ ] until after I finished it. >> Yep. And you should too, all of you
listening. Yep. >> Um because the world is really [ __ ] crazy right now. >> It's the world is um probably burning a
little bit. >> Yeah. I think it's what I am hoping >> we're going to rise from the ashes.
Yeah. Like I hope it's burning because fire is cleansing. >> Agree. >> And we're going to start a new
>> I love it. >> I think we're going to burn it all down and we're going to start with way less
pedophiles. >> That'd be dope. >> And way more chill [ __ ] who want to protect kids and don't want to
be [ __ ] to each other and hateful and divisive. >> Those are my top two things that I want
in in the new life. >> Yeah, that's all I'm looking for in this new world. >> Those are my New Year's resolutions. I
hope that the system does in fact crash so that there's less pedophiles and more
cool people who want to protect kids. >> Yep. >> That's it. That >> it's so simple
>> that honestly that should be and I know that's there's going to be people that
are angry at us for saying that. But I can't fathom how you can find something wrong with
>> you want the system to burn right now. It's been in place since 1776. How could you want less pedophiles? Like
that's I that's that's something we should all be able to agree on. I think that's the least controversial thing I
have ever said in my life is we should have less pedophiles. >> Somehow people will find
>> controversy. But here's the thing. Our listeners, >> no, our listeners, no, >> they're not going to you guys aren't
going to find it's the bots controversy for sure, you know. Oh my god. But you guys listening, you're you're you get
it. I'm probably not the first person to ever say this, but God, I hope I am. It's the bots and the ops.
>> There you go. >> That came to me. >> That came to me. came to me up here in this noggin.
>> Well, you know what? In the >> in the spirit of um being crazy, being kooky, >> let's talk about amusement park
disasters. >> You're going to ruin my [ __ ] life like that. You would. >> This honestly would ruin my life. My
idea Dave, >> our beloved Dave, >> beloved David >> had this idea and I said, "Hell yeah,
brother. >> It's a great idea." >> Yeah. Except I thought Here's the thing about this show. One of us sitting on
one of these couches despises amusement parks with her entire >> I bet you can't decide.
>> The other one of us would literally go to an amusement park every day to be amused.
>> That sounds horrible. >> Wow. So, you really let them know that. >> We didn't even give that one second to
last. >> I mean, I think people know. >> I know. I'm kidding. I think people know
by now. Um, we're going to be talking Well, we have two of these, but today we're going to be talking about
independent parks. >> Okay. So, we're not going to be talking about, you know, >> the big ones,
>> the the biggies, >> my faves. >> Uh, we're going to be talking about some independent parks. And this is all just
things that happened. Like, this isn't, you know, us having opinions on like how
they're run or anything like that. It's just >> I don't even know how they're run.
>> These are just things that have happened that have been reported on. >> And let's let's let's start in the way
back, >> shall we? Um, so this first one I'm going to do my absolute best to not
butcher the pronunciation, >> but when we get there, we get there and we're going to see what we do. Okay,
we're going to see how we handle it. >> Okay. >> Um, so as early as the 14th century,
>> a long ass time, >> long time. People have always loved to attend like big gatherings with other
people. They love to combine those gatherings with music, food, performances, >> culture
>> explicitly for the sake of entertainment and enjoyment. We've all needed that
forever. >> I love entertainment and enjoyment. >> For example, in and here I go with this
pronunciation. >> I believe in you. >> Linguarbeck. >> Not sure. >> Denmark. And this is in a place called
Here comes another one. >> Oh, there's more. >> Here comes another one. Hold on. Dire's
Vakan. >> Direvaken. Dire's Vakan in Denmark. >> Sure. >> Um, that translates Dire's Vakan
translates to Animal Park Hill. >> Oh. >> Um, it has been entertaining guests for
nearly 450 years. Initially, >> that's insane. >> Long time. initially with clowns and
animal shows and music, then with mechanical rides, and eventually with modern thrill rides and roller coasters
commonly associated with like modern-day amusement parks that we think of. And while it's fair to say that like
amusement parks that we think of now, like modern ones of the last century or so, can trace at least some of their
roots to like fairs and carnivals of like the Middle Ages. >> Their real point of origin can be found
in the mid 19th century quote unquote pleasure gardens of London. >> Not pleasure.
>> Not pleasure. >> I feel like they should have workshopped that one. >> So these are these are not like the
sprawling parks filled with mechanical rides that we are thinking of. >> What happens at a pleasure garden?
pleasure gardens provide and and here's the thing. There's like a there's a there's a there's a lead from these to
the modern day parks that we're thinking of, but obviously there was a branch off
of who they were catering to and what they were catering. But the same idea was there of like being a place that is
purely for amusement. >> Yes, >> what amusement it is. Pleasure gardens are for something different.
>> Okay. They provided a similar kind of escapism through fantasy entertainment and commercialism that would eventually
be the the amusement parks we know now. According to British journalist Kath Pound, the pleasure gardens offered
quote an environment in which societal norms could be cast aside, if only for a few hours. They captivated the public
with their heady mix of culture, fashion, and vice. >> Yeah, [ __ ] That's why I'm wearing
Disney ears. Mickey ears. You could also you could also argue that this is kind of like Renaissance fairs like that kind
of thing, you know. >> Now, during the day, the gardens resembled casual, albeit like more
fantastical types of social experiences one might find at a fair. >> Okay, that's fun.
>> But the real thrills came later in the day when the parks began their quote dark walks. These would be led by masked
performers whose identities, gender, and perhaps even intentions were unknown to
patrons. You had me up until intentions. You had me until intentions. One thing about me is I want to know a
motherfucker's intention. This is so interesting. So these dark walks were tours that began in like well-lit areas
of the park and eventually made their way into the deliberately unlit areas of the garden.
>> This is [ __ ] up. And as the light began to fade, the whimsical and colorful garden gave way to more
hedonistic activities. >> [ __ ] what? >> As sex workers would emerge to offer their services in dark corners of the
garden. >> Okay, that's a fun intention. >> So that all right with that historian
Jonathan Conland said there wasn't necessarily a clear division between light walks and dark walks. It was a
question of how far you were prepared to go. >> Oh, okay. All of this is so like just
it's so fascinating to me that it like a dark walk sounds so terrifying. >> It does. But then sexy people come out.
>> Yeah. So the real purpose of the pleasure garden and its whimsical tone remain the same as modern-day parks like
that the tone of everything especially during the day. Rather than simply offering an opportunity for hedonistic
pleasure, the garden's true purpose was to break down these like rigid social and class barriers of the day that were
honestly like dictating public life at the time >> and give the people of London a place to
play, engage in fantasy together >> without the stigmas of the outside world kind of bogging them down.
>> It was a place to vibe. And the result, or at least the result that was intended, was increased social cohesion
that minimized conflict, >> which is nice. Everybody got together, enjoy some [ __ ] together that doesn't
hurt anybody. >> A more contemporary example of these these opportunities for like blowing off
steam are things like professional sports, >> a shared act interest and activity that
kind of transcends what would be like pretty restrictive social constructs like race and class. M
like it's these all kind of when you really look at them that way, you're like these are much more like tightly
>> uh held together and like woven together than you would think just on the outside.
>> Agreed. >> Now eventually the explicit hedenism of the pleasure gardens gave way to the
more commercially oriented boardwalks in places like Coney Island, New York, and
Santa Barbara, California. >> Beginning in the late 1800s, places like Coney Island offered games,
performances, and what were then known as freak shows. Mhm. in which real and manufactured medical anomalies were put
on display for entertainment and amusement. >> I've seen AHS. >> Yeah, exactly. By the end of the decade,
the mechanical and technological inventions that were unveiled at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, where
HHolmes was busy. >> HH Homes >> um they had begun to make their way onto the boardwalks and small amusement parks
around the world. These me mechanized rides quickly replace the animal shows with carousels, ferris wheels, and
roller coasters. And that's when the amusement park thrill rides were born. Let's [ __ ] go. So, by the early 20th
century, entrepreneurs in North America and Europe started building parks around
the mechanical rides that drew from the boardwalks and pleasure gardens of the past, including vendors, fantasy
inspired landscapes, and even mascots. In the early 1940s, Indiana businessman Louis uh Louie Cotch uh developed 260
acres of land in Santa Claus, Indiana into Santa Claus land. >> Fun. Then that was the nation's first
theme park. >> Wait, that's actually iconic. >> Isn't that crazy? >> Santa Claus?
>> Yeah, I'm obsessed. Opening in 1946, Santa Claus Land offered a quote dreamy alpine village with a toy shop, rides
designed just for children, and daily appearances from [ __ ] Santa himself, y'all.
>> Let's go. That sounds fun. >> Yeah. Santa Claus Land would go on to inspire other entrepreneurs to develop
their own properties, including Walt Disney, >> whose own Disneyland opened in 1955,
modeled in part by Santa Claus Land. >> I didn't know that. Unfortunately, an increase in popularity meant an increase
in patrons. And with each new person that arrived and each new day that passed, the more likely it became that
something could go wrong. Yeah, of course. >> Cuz we're not just going to talk about
how great amusement parks are and how they became a thing. No, it's called morbid.
>> So, although the rides were generally considered safe, >> I can't at like 1940s, 1950s, I'm like,
uhoh. >> When I generally they're considered safe. Imagine you get on the ride and
like you ask and they're like, "Yeah, generally generally it feels like this might be safe.
>> I'm not going to go on this." >> Yeah. When it comes to something like amusement park safety, the likelihood of
an accident is a matter of probability to be quite honest. >> In simple terms, each time a ferris
wheel was put into motion, the worn the more worn the mechanics became. Therefore, the more times a person rode
a ferris wheel wheel, the more safely the more likely it was that they were going to experience a problem. The more
safe rides equal we're we're creeping up. >> We're counting down until disaster here.
>> So the horrible way to think about that. >> It really is. >> I want to be the person that goes on the
ride like two times after the bad thing. >> Yeah, there you go. >> I'm sorry. >> Wow. I'm sorry.
>> So that fact was further complicated by the fact that in the case of early amusement parks, rides were typically
permitted and expected by the same people who gave out licenses for the other park vendors. That's to say that
these individuals rarely understood how the rides worked, much less whether they
were safe. >> That's really awesome. >> So, that led to some problems. >> Yeah, I bet.
>> In 1911, on the River Beach boardwalk, just a few miles outside of Boston, manufacturer Fred Pierce built an early
wooden coaster named the Derby Racer. See me? I don't [ __ ] with wooden coasters.
>> And remember, this is before like the Santa Claus land of 1940, whatever. >> Yeah. Among the largest roller coasters
of the day, the Derby Racer was a standard twotrack coaster where two passenger cars would quote unquote race
one another side by side. >> Mhm. >> Within just a couple months of being built, the Derby Racer experienced its
first accident or that's when PFC Arthur Lamar, a sailor on the battleship New Jersey, was thrown from one of the
coaster cars, quote, traveling at a speed equaling that of a fast express train.
>> Oh, [ __ ] Although the specifics of how exactly Lamar was thrown from the car,
his body hit the structural beams of the coaster with quote terrific force, fracturing his skull, breaking his arm
and causing severe internal injuries. >> Yeah, >> he was rushed to Frost Hospital in
nearby Chelsea. And while he did survive the accident, he was left with lifelong
problems as a result. >> A fractured skull will [ __ ] you right up. >> Just a month later, another accident
occurred on the derby racing. bad probabilities >> when Oscar Young, the assistant manager
of the ride, was thrown from one of the cars. At the time, Young had been accompanying a group of young women on
the ride. And according to a press report, at one point, the group quote were making so much noise and moving
about so actively that Young feared for their safety. As they approached a sharp
curve in the track, he turned around to remind the young women of the safety protocols. But just as he turned, the
car lurched slightly to the side and he was thrown from the ride head first. >> Oh [ __ ]
>> Understandably, the party of young women quote became panicstricken and two of
the passengers had to be physically prevented from jumping out of the car in terror.
>> According to the press, quote, "The wild screams of the passengers during the
rest of the ride cuz they had to finish the ride." >> Yeah. >> To the terminal were heard for half a
mile and caused intense excitement among the throngs on the beach. Oh, that's horrifying.
>> Once the cars came to a stop, attendants were able to reach Oscar and move his
body to the office terminal where he was attended by a local doctor until an ambulance was able to get there an hour
later. >> Jesus Christ. >> Young was taken to Frost Hospital where they determined both legs were broken,
one so badly it had to be amputated immediately. >> Oh my god. >> And he'd suffered severe internal
injuries as well as cuts and lacerations and bruises to his abdomen. Unfortunately, it does appear that he
didn't survive his injuries. Oh, that's so sad. >> In the two months >> were both of your legs broken and one so
badly that it needed to be amputated. >> That's nuts. >> In the two months that it had been in
operation, there had been multiple problems with the derby racer. That should have warranted some
investigation, including the death of Oscar Young, the injuries to Lamar and other passengers, one of which who broke
an arm a week before Young's accident. >> So, it was more than just that. Yeah, those were just the two most egregious,
but the River Board of Selectmen voted to shut down the coaster for just 2 weeks before giving them the go-ahad to
reopen it after the coaster was examined. >> Did they fix anything? >> Two weeks. They were like, "Seems good
to me." >> I'm like, "I don't know. I think you should put some mechanisms in place to
like make it so people stop flying off." Whatever repairs were made to the the derby racer do appear to have made it a
little safer for riders, but a decade later, the rid's operators found themselves in trouble again.
>> Hey, a decade is pretty solid. >> Yeah, but I guess so. After two passengers were injured on the Derby
Racer on the afternoon of September 10th, 1922, 25-year-old Frank Francis and his friend Joseph Jason,
>> FF and JJ. >> FF and JJ. >> Obsessed. >> And like last name Francis, last name
Jason. Like what a weird thing to happen. >> That is weird. Like two first names,
last names. >> They visited the River Beach Boardwalk and Francis decided he wanted to start
their day at the beach with a ride on the derby coaster, but his friend opted to watch from the platform.
>> Oh [ __ ] The ride was well underway when for reasons unknown, it came to a lurching halt and Francis and the
passenger where that he was sharing the car with were thrown from the ride and fell about 6 feet to the ground below.
Fortunately, the young woman with that Frank was riding with was largely unheard. Frank himself though sustained
severe lacerations to one side of his body and serious internal injuries. >> So, he survived his injuries, but less
than a year later, 23-year-old Alice Bluelin and her boyfriend Leland Back were thrown from the Derby racer pretty
much under similar circumstances. Alice suffered a fractured skull and back was badly cut and bruised, but otherwise was
okay. In the years that followed that, the operators installed a leather harness to each car as well as a safety
bar that riders could grab hold of. >> I'm sorry, what was there before? Nothing. They're like, "Hey, I think a
bar could like push people, you know, like keep them in there." Also, a leather harness. They're like, "What do
you guys think about a seat belt?" like Jesus. >> Then again, it's like people were just
like plopping newborns in the back of their seat at their >> seriously. Well, also I mean this was
what like around like the early to mid 1900s. >> This is like Well, this is in the late
20s. >> Yeah. That's nuts. >> Yeah. >> Um these safety measures like definitely lowered the risk level, but not
entirely. In late May 1929, 27year-old JN Clark was thrown from his car when the leather belt quote seemed to slide
through his hands. and he was thrown from the car and suffered se severe cuts all over his body. So the seat belt was
just like nah. >> It didn't do a lot. The accident in 1929 resulted in a lawsuit that made its way
to the state supreme court in 1935. >> Surprised it took that long for a lawsuit.
>> Yeah. And the court ruled against the ride operators, Ocean View Amusements, who were required to pay a big penalty.
>> Yeah, I would think. >> The next year the Derby racer was shut down for good and a new coaster was
built on the site in 1937. >> Really? I feel like even building a new coaster on that site is a bad omen. I
feel >> so all of the accidents on the Derby racer and coasters like it just highlighted the fact that if nothing
else, additional safety measures were necessary to ensure that riders lived through the ride.
>> Yes. Important. >> That said, 20 years after the first death on the Derby racer, another
accident occurred that called into question the safety of roller coasters altogether.
the afternoon of July 24th, 1930. It was like any other summer day at Omaha's Krug Park. All afternoon, tons of
patrons lined up, one after another, to ride the park's most popular attraction,
which was, of course, a large wooden roller coaster called the Big Dipper. >> Not the wooden roller coasters.
>> Called the Big Dipper. Like many coasters around the country, the Big Dipper was routinely inspected by a city
inspector who was more accustomed to inspecting buildings than amusement park rides.
>> A little different. and he deemed it safe for public use. Looks good to me. >> All righty.
>> He said, "I don't know. It's not a building." He said, "I guess it's fine. >> I don't know. It's standing."
>> He said, "Maybe you could live in it if it was stationary. I guess maybe maybe
you could." >> Despite that approval, however, just weeks earlier, one park worker predicted
there would be quote a terrible accident on the coaster any day. >> Oh, parker. and he said it was due to
its constant use but lack of regular maintenance. He was like, "This is just gonna happen. I just wait for it."
>> Like common sense. >> A little past 7:30 that night, 23 people boarded the train on Big Dipper,
separated into four connected cars. As the train of cars began climbing the first 75 ft hill, the group of teenagers
braced themselves for the anticipated rapid descent of the hill. Yeah. Unfortunately, none of them noticed the
bolt sitting on the track several feet ahead of them. As the car began its rapid descents down the track, the first
car hit the bolt, tearing loose the brake shoe and lifting the car off the rail, sending it through the guard rail
and over the side of the coaster. >> Holy [ __ ] >> For several seconds, the first car in
the train hung over the edge of the coaster, threatening to fall any second. Oh my god. So, 17-year-old Walter Basis
said, "I could see it happening before our car left the rails. That was the worst part of all. We knew we were going
to be killed or badly injured, and all we could do was sit there helplessly, trusting in God.
>> I can't even think about that." >> The first car plunged over the edge, slowly dragging the other others with
it, plunging 30 feet to the ground below. "Holy God," >> Walter Basis recalled, "I was unable to
move for a moment. So were the others." Seconds passed by in dead silence. Then somebody screamed and it seemed to
awaken everybody to their danger. With just seconds to go before being dragged over the edge, several of the passengers
desperately tried to free themselves from the seats, but being panicked and having no time to act, there was not a
lot any of them could do. According to 16-year-old Antisanis, who was in one of the rear cars, they
said, "As the first car went over, people in the second uh the other three screamed and muttered short prayers
while tugging desperately at their safety belts." >> This is so scary. >> The first car hit the ground just
seconds after it went over the edge with all the passengers still strapped into the wooden seats. Now, what's very in
and Dave found this, the first car was dubbed Fred >> and it was named after the former park
manager friend Ingresol who killed himself a few years earlier. >> Oh god. >> And this car went plunging over the
side. >> Yeah, that's haunting. >> Isn't that just like haunting? >> Yeah, that is absolutely.
>> Now, since all the cars were connected, the second, third, and fourth cars fell
in quick succession. Fortunately, the cars landed in a U formation with the first and fourth cars landing on the
tracks and the second and third hitting the ground. Had they landed on top of one another, it would have been far more
devastating than it already was, which was devastating. >> Yeah. >> Omaha firefighter Bren Meister was at
the park that day and could see the rail infrastructure crumble as the train went
over the edge. He told a reporter, "The cars dropped straight down on the east side of the structure. Some of them
overturned and landed top down with the passengers imprisoned by safety belts and unable to throw themselves free. To
make matters worse, the weight of the cars hanging over the edge before they fell caused the scaffolding in the part
of the coaster to tilt slightly. >> Oh my god. >> So, ride operator Eugene Lewis said, "I
heard wood splintering and saw the first car going over the east. I jumped for the switch and shut the power off. I
thought the other three cars would hold the first track car on the track. Unfortunately, when the cars went over,
a considerable amount of debris from the crumbling track followed, landing on the
victims below. Now, with the power switched off, the second train car, which was a ways behind the one that
went over, was stopped s entirely, and rescuers were able to reach the passengers and get them all to safety.
Other park workers in the area jumped into action with several running to call for emergency services and way more
climbing or tearing down the fencing to get to the victims, >> which is like a moment of humanity that
I'm glad is in here. >> That's rare to see. >> The four passengers in the first car
received the worst of the injuries, >> of course. Yeah. As the first to hit the ground in a car that was overturned, CH
Stout, Ruth Frell, Tony Politica, and Glattis Lund Green were all pinned under the car and trapped by rubble. Although
two managed to survive the initial fall, they died later that afternoon from their injuries. The others were luckier
and managed to survive with terrible injuries. Tony's 16-year-old sister, Mary, who was sitting in the car behind
her brother, sustained a fractured skull and was scalped. Oh my god. [ __ ] Because her head hit a piece of
scaffolding on the way down. Oh my god. I don't think I'm ever riding a roller coaster again.
>> Yeah. >> To be scalped by a roller coaster crash >> Yeah. >> is unthinkable. >> That's happened a few times.
>> Don't you dare. >> That happened recently. What? >> Yeah. >> In fact, hold on. I'm gonna look.
>> She's doing cautionary tales. >> Yeah, it was in 2016. She was 11 years old. >> Oh, where?
>> King's Crown in Omaha, Nebraska. Also happened in the UK in 2025. 18-year-old woman in a fun house ride.
>> Oh my god. >> Yeah. >> I feel like I'm going to throw up. >> 2021, too. It happened. So many people
scalped by posters. >> Yeah. And and this is just this is, you know, I'm not trying to tell anybody what to
do. >> Yes, she is. >> Um because again, like these, you know, they get checked and this it's a thrill
ride is a thrill ride. It's a thrill ride because you're out of control. It's just the way
>> you're supposed to be thrilled. >> You are absolutely supposed to be safe >> and thrilled. But you know, this would
not thrill me. >> This would not thrill me. And again, this is the early days of of thrill
rides. >> You better you better keep it there, sister. >> And obviously I've given you some modern
uh examples of this, but >> but like this, I'm sorry. She's sorry. >> She's sorry. She's sorry.
>> It's like I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Um so that's terrible. Walter Bazis, who we quoted before, suffered a broken collar
bone. >> Oh, that's so painful. In addition to severe cuts and bruises to his face,
14-year-old Robert Lindström, who was visiting the park with his family that day and riding in the third car,
suffered a broken arm and surgeons had to amputate one of his fingers because the crush injuries were too impossible
to repair. >> Wow. >> Other passengers managed to escape with relatively minor injuries. Like when
you're considering considering Walter Bazis' brother, 20-year-old Andrew, for example, had superficial cuts and
bruises and a severe sunburn from laying trapped beneath the debris for an extended period of time while rescuers
tended to the most hurt people. >> You get through all of that and you get severe burns. That's horrific.
>> Even some who weren't on the ride that afternoon were not free of the harm of
this tragic event. Upon seeing the cars go over the edge and plummet to the ground below, a 27year-old woman fainted
and subsequently went into shock. >> Oh wow. >> She was taken to the hospital along with
the other victims and released several hours later. Um similarly, sisters Leona and Mary Brundy, 12 and 10 years old,
survived the accident with minor injuries. But later that night, it was determined that the accident had been so
psychologically traumatizing that both girls needed to be taken back to the hospital for treatment.
>> Absolutely. That's a Yeah, >> you can picture this in your head, but you can't imagine seeing this in person
and what that would do to your brain because you're not supposed to see people in real life
>> in like these insanely violent situations >> and just seeing you can you can picture
it in your head, but it wouldn't be what you would actually. You know what I mean? Like
>> you you can't conceive of disaster in that way. >> Yeah. It's like seeing like you think
you could see it like you're like, "Oh, I've seen Final Destination. I've seen weird [ __ ] like that happen." But it's a
totally different thing. >> Yeah. >> Within two hours of the accident, it was as though nothing had happened. Were it
not for the mountain of debris and wreckage, one would assumed it was just another night at the park. Just kept on
moving. >> They didn't shut down the park. >> Nope. According to one reporter, once
the firefighters and ambulance were gone, quote, "The concessionaries hawkked their wares. Sightseers took
themselves to other rides and the orchestra struck up. >> It's like the Titanic.
>> Yeah. >> Hello. >> It was only after Omaha safety commissioner John Hopkins arrived a
little before 11:00 p.m. that the park shut down for the night. >> Are you kidding me? Just
>> nuts. How could you just be like, "Well, guess I'm going to go on the Tilta World
now." Like, what are you? >> Like, what the [ __ ] >> People just died. Upon viewing the scene
at the park, several of the rid's usual attendants were baffled as to what the [ __ ] could have caused this accident. As
Jean Lewis, who was a Big Dipper operator, said, "As far as I know, it's still as sound as a dollar.
>> I don't think it is because there's a big crumbling mess where it was." >> I have one foolproof way to tell that
your ride is not operating as sound as a dollar. >> When it crumbles to the ground.
>> Yeah. And a girl when somebody gets scalp. Like, are you That's [ __ ] joking. That'll tell you it's not
running tiptop. >> Wow. >> It was only after the debris had been cleared and the structure formally
evaluated that they realized a bolt had come loose in the structure and fallen onto the tracks, which to me that's the
scariest part about this because how innocuous. >> That's so innocuous. >> Yeah,
>> that could just happen. >> Yeah, easily scares because a bolt is so small. >> It's just human.
>> Like that's just human [ __ ] >> I know. >> Like we can only tighten a bolt so much.
I know they use like machines to do that now, but it's like I don't know. Error happens. That just freaks me out.
>> Well, especially like in this is just my opinion. Especially with a wooden coaster.
>> Oh, especially there's there's too much at risk there. >> And I know like that's just like that
I'm always terrified of these kind of things because like as like I'm sure that like there's a a small subsection
of listeners who are like Elena's the most paranoid person ever. How annoying. I I know. Sometimes it pays to be
paranoid. >> Sometimes it pays to be paranoid. I'm probably I'll still go on some rides,
but like I'm >> You're going to keep the Keep your eyes open. You're going to keep your eyes
open. That's the thing. I'm not I'm not advocating for people to like just stop living their lives and stop doing these
fun things because this [ __ ] can happen. >> Just be informed. >> Just be informed of it.
>> That's all. So you're a little more aware. Maybe a little more be knowledge is indeed power. Maybe don't do the
wooden ones. >> Yeah. And it's like if you want I just think you need to be be careful and you
just got to again have the knowledge going in so you can be better prepared >> and listen to the safety protocols.
>> Enjoy your thrill rides. I I mean maybe if it's really going to affect how you
go about an amusement park ride, this isn't the episode for you. But >> just know that nobody's advocating for
no amusement parks or rides here. >> Just make sure you're informed. advocating for that.
>> It's like hearing about a plane crash. Like it's not that you shouldn't get on
a plane ever again. It's just like you're informed now of what can happen. >> The statistics.
>> Exactly. But I just wanted to be clear about that that I'm not being like, "See, I told you that abuse parks are
dumb." >> Like this is just, you know, a little little subsection of it. >> Yeah.
>> Um so yeah, they they noticed the bolt. Um, had the entire structure been firm
and sound, the guardrail probably could have withstood the impact in fact and kept the car from going over the edge.
But when it was inspected after the accident, safety inspectors found that quote, "For 20 ft, the left rail was
splintered and torn away. Part of the guardrail was so rotted it could be crumbled in their fingers." See, I feel
like you guys could have figured that out before this happened. >> Absolutely, they should have.
>> I feel like you should probably just check it every night. Human error. >> Yeah. Um, now at a press conference the
next day, John Hopkins told reporters, "After this accident, I wouldn't permit another roller coaster to be built of
steel. If a loose nut can throw the whole tracks off course, we're not going to have any more roller coasters."
>> Well, he was wrong. >> He said that he he's me. >> Well, he was wrong. >> He's like, "You know what? [ __ ] this."
>> He's like, "One time, no more." >> Yeah. You know what? No. In fact, Hopkins and Omaha Mayor Richard Metaf
responded to the entire tragedy by swearing they would introduce city ordinances banning all roller coasters
in Omaha. >> Wow. >> Which like I get why they went that hard. Absolutely. That was tragic.
>> Yeah. And it those teenagers. A girl got scalped. >> It affected so many people and so many
people too who weren't even on the ride. It's like you know. So within days of the accident, several lawsuits had been
filed against the park by those lawsuiting for days. >> In one case, 20-year-old Andrew Hullman
sued for $20,000 while while 18year-old Joseph Zywick sued for $10,000. Several more suits were after that, and
ultimately the park's $35,000 insurance policy was split up between many of the survivors.
>> Damn. Two of the largest payouts went to 14-year-old Helen Kazagi, $7,000, who
lost an eye in the accident. >> No, don't you dare. >> And Mary Politica, $4,800, whose
injuries were significant. >> Right. >> Tragically, Mary's payout was lost entirely just a few years later when the
bank went under as a result of the Great Depression. >> Oh, that is such [ __ ] >> Now, after the accident, the Big Dipper
was torn down entirely. And thanks to the ordinances put in place by Hopkins and Mayor Metaf, nothing was built at
its place. The owners of Krug Park spent years trying to get the ban lifted so they could rebuild their most popular
attraction because it's all about that money [ __ ] They don't care about human beings.
>> Yeah. But luckily they were unsuccessful cuz it's like Yeah. It's all about money
[ __ ] and they don't care about human beings. Like that's their attitude. But it's like you're going to lose all your
money because your insurance, no insurance, especially after your insurance payout was completely maxed
out. No [ __ ] insurance company is going to be like, "Yeah, let's do that again.
>> Let's give it another shot." >> Guys, the park did struggle significantly in the years after that
and had an unusual run of bad luck that included a massive fire and an armed robbery as well.
>> Oh jeez. >> Finally, after the 1939 summer session, Krug Park closed for good.
>> Yeah, sounds like that's probably good. As the years passed, government officials, insurance companies, and park
owners started taking the health and safety of patrons just a little more seriously.
>> Hey, that's nice. >> Uh they would put in place better safety measures. They just wanted to lower that
risk. >> Yeah. >> You know, that said, it was impossible to remove the risk entirely. And that's
the problem. >> And it was only a matter of time before another disaster did occur
>> probability. And in a rather dark coincidence, when the next major roller coaster catastrophe did finally happen,
it was on a coaster called the Big Dipper. >> Shut up. >> So maybe don't go on a coaster called
the Big Dipper. >> Guys, you heard it here first. >> Yeah. On the morning of May 30th, 1972,
Liz Hey Grieve arrived at the Funf Fair, an amusement park in London's Battery District, uh to they were celebrating
her 15th birthday. More than any other rides, Liz wanted to ride the Big Dipper. It was a large wooden roller
coaster that was built at the park 20 years earlier. The coaster was the main attraction at the park and one of the
biggest thrill rides in London. And although she'd ridden the coaster that day, she wanted to ride it again.
>> Okay. Liz and her friend Allison Cmerford waited in line for the Big Dipper. And when their turn came, they
climbed into one of the cars near the back and buckled their seat belts. As the train reached the first steep
incline, Liz could hear the familiar sound of the struts clicking loudly below the car as the rope pulled the
train up the hill. We've all heard that. >> When they got to the top of the hill,
the riders prepared themselves for that thrilling plunge. But then the train started to roll backwards. At first, Liz
and Allison thought the ride's operator was just messing around, trying to add a
little extra thrill. >> But when she saw the other people on the ride start to panic, Liz realized
something was wrong. >> Oh god. In reality, the train only took a few seconds to hurdle back to the
bottom of the hill at high speed, Liz recalled. But it felt like a long time, and I had this logical thought process
that we're just going to swing up the hill behind us and back again and eventually come to a stop. By the time I
thought all that, we'd crashed through the bottom of it and we're buried in debris.
>> Oh my god. >> Because it makes sense her thinking. Yeah. >> Well, we're just going to go down and
then we're going to swing back up and it's going to be like a metronome and eventually like a pendulum eventually.
were going to just kind of stop, >> right? >> Nope. It crashed directly through the
bottom. >> Way too going way too fast. >> They were going way too fast. >> Another passenger, Carolyn Adams,
remembered the moment the car started going in the opposite direction. She said, "As soon as we started shooting
backwards, everything went into slow motion. I turned around and saw the brake man desperately trying to put the
brake on, but it wasn't working. Imagine seeing the man trying to pull the brake." No.
>> Carolyn wasn't the only one who noticed the panic in that man's face. 13-year-old Susan Smith said, "I thought
at first he was just trying to frighten us. Then it was his face. It was white and terrified." Oh, that poor guy, too.
Just trying his car shot back down the hill at an unreasonable speed. And when it hit the first turn in the track, the
first car shot straight through the guard rail and hung over the edge about 50 ft above the ground.
>> Holy [ __ ] Caroline's car was relatively undamaged, though they were in a very
precarious position on an unstable part of the track. The girl next to her was screaming and trying to get out of the
car, and when she leaned on the wooden barrier, it collapsed. >> Oh, [ __ ] >> Carolyn said, "I tried to grab for her,
but I saw her fall to the ground in front of me 50 ft in the air. >> God." >> Carolyn tried to calm everyone down and
explained that they needed to be very still, and she would get out of the car and walk down the tracks to get help.
Bad [ __ ] alert. So Carolyn tried to calm everyone down and explained that they needed to be very still and she
would get out of the car and walk down the tracks to get help which like >> always a woman
>> bad [ __ ] who's like on her woman saving the day. >> She said, "Everyone shut up. We need to
calm down. >> I got this." >> She carefully climbed out of the car and slowly made her way to the edge of the
tracks to find the safest route down. But as she started walking, she realized the tracks were slick with blood. Oh,
[ __ ] This is awful. Liz Hay Grieve and Allison Cmerford had been in the car that went over the edge and eventually
plummeted to the tracks below, which were still 30 feet off the ground. Miraculously, Allison was unharmed, and
when she managed to pull herself out from under some of the debris, she started moving the larger pieces off the
car in an effort to free Liz. When she finally removed all the debris, Liz was in tremendous pain from a broken arm and
dislocated shoulder. Oh god. But she managed to get to her feet. They made their way to the small walkway beside
the tracks, intending to walk down. But as soon as Allison stepped onto the walkway, the boards beneath her feet
cracked and she fell 30 ft down below. Despite her severe injuries, Liz was determined to reach her friend and
started climbing down the scaffolding >> with a dislocated shoulder and broken arm.
>> She said there was chaos, lots of screaming. Parents had been watching their children on the ride, so they were
obviously panicking. After a few minutes, I could hear sirens. When she finally reached the ground, Liz intended
to get to Allison, but before she could get there, two adults grabbed her, trying to help her.
>> And she said, "They got hold of me, one on each side, and said, "We're taking
you to first aid." They sort of frog marched me away from her. >> Oh. When Liz finally managed to find
Allison, she'd been moved away from the wreckage and laid out on a grassy area with several other injured riders.
Allison was unconscious, but was the one of the first to be taken to the hospital. In the days after that, she
seemed to be improving, but a couple of weeks later, her condition took a turn and she succumbed and died. Oh.
>> Allison Cmerford was one of five children who died as a result of the accident. The others were 14-year-old
David Sate, 8-year-old Shirley Nash, 13-year-old Thomas Harmer, and 12-year-old uh Deborah Robertson, and 13
others who suffered non-fatal injuries. >> Wow. >> Like tragic. >> I just can't get past the the track
being >> slick with blood. >> From the perspective of those watching the accident from the ground, the scene
was a [ __ ] nightmare. When the train first hit the first curve in the tracks, it seemed like everything exploded.
People said some of the riders were like thrown from the cars and landed somewhere on the structure. Others
remained strapped into the car or were buried under debris. Shirley Nash's father, David, said, "I watched the
carriage climb up to the first rise and then it just fell back and rolled down, throwing the children out."
>> Oh. Oh, God. That sentence alone. >> Yeah. In the months that followed, an investigation determined the accident
was initially caused by a break in the rope that pulled the cars. But that that was just the first link in like a chain
of problems that led to this tragedy. After the rope broke, the emergency brake to stop the train failed.
>> Yeah. >> As the train moved, it picked up speed, causing the last car to jump the track
when it hit the curve in the track. When structural engineer Carl Carlton Boswell
examined the structure of the Big Dipper, he identified dozens of walkways, handrails, and parts of the
track that were unsafe, including the walkway that gave out under Allison Cmerford's feet.
>> Wow. >> So, that could have been fixed. >> Yeah. >> The following year, ride manager and the
engineer were put on trial for criminal negligence and manslaughter, among other
charges relating to the injuries, >> as they should be. During his opening statements, prosecuting attorney Henry
Pawnhill, Pawn Hall, excuse me, pointed to the many structural problems and defects with the ride, telling the jury
the Big Dipper was quote, "quite literally a death trap." >> Yeah, it sounds like it.
>> Pointing to Allison's death, Pawn Hill emphasized the fact that this was wasn't
simply a tragic accident, but a matter of ongoing negligence that created an unsafe environment in myriad ways.
Despite the evidence and compelling testimony, the jury determined there was not sufficient proof to support the
charges and the two men were cleared. >> That's shocking. >> That's [ __ ] The Big Dipper was
quickly reopened. >> Are you joking? >> With a more modern metal coaster, but the accident and the trial that followed
had done a lot of damage to the representation of the operators and the ride itself. And the ride closed
permanently in the fall of 1974. >> Yeah, that ride should have never been reopened. Thinking back on the accident,
Liz Hay Grieve told a reporter, "I always think about Allison and about the randomness of how it's one person and
not another, and that's just horrible. It's really easy to take life for granted, but it's a bit of a nudge in
the ribs every so often that says it's not like this for everyone." >> Wow. Isn't that like
>> poetic? I was going to say I just warmed. >> I think that's a good quote to end on.
Yeah, that's that was powerful >> cuz although all of this is very tragic, I think that is a very um
>> that's a really good way of looking at it. >> Yeah, it's a reminder like that life is
literally so fragile. If it's not one person, it's the other and you can't tell which one is going to have that
kind of experience and where tragedy is going to hit. >> And it's a good little little nudge in
the ribs. >> That's a real [ __ ] message, especially right now. >> Yeah, it really is. But all of these
things, I mean, luckily these rides were torn down, other things were built in their place. Sometimes not even rides.
So >> sometimes people, it's nice that sometimes people got payouts. >> Yeah. >> Not a lot, but
>> And that it showed like a lot of people came running to these tragedies and like
to help victims. >> It highlighted humanity in a in a horrible way and in a nice way.
>> It really did, >> which is usually what we do here. >> It highlighted both for sure because the
ones that were like And then the park just kept operating as nothing happened. >> Yeah, that's nuts.
>> I'm like, really, guys? Uh but yeah, so we'll we'll be punctuating every once in
a while. We'll do one of these episodes. Um you know, >> every now and again. >> Every now and then.
>> Spooky road. Spooky lighouses. >> Yeah, which we we need to do one of those. We haven't done one of those in a
while. >> Let me tell you, honey, I'm craving a spooky road in particular. >> I am craving spooky anything. I live
every day spooky, but I'm ready for fall. And I know I know it's not even March.
>> I know. >> But you know me. >> I know >> you guys know me. I know you >> you get it. You know it's in my heart.
>> I get it. But uh >> you got a fun fact for us, please. >> I do have a fun fact.
>> Hit me up. Is it fun? Your face is weird. >> No, it's a fun fact. It's uh these are
two groupings of animals that I think is really funny what they're named. >> Tell me.
>> A group of pandas is called an embarrassment. >> Oh, that's not embarrassing. And a group
of pugs is a grumble. >> A grumble. Oh, I want a grumble. >> Just a grumble of pugs.
>> I want a grumble of pugs up in my house. >> I love that a lot. >> I got a grumble in this house.
>> One funny thing that this is just like a funny little like anecdote that I have
that I have to say cuz you guys will get it. Um, you know, like what a big fan I
am of like Pin Head and Hellraiser. >> Yeah. >> Movies. uh like a like last summer or
whenever it was. I got to like have lunch with Doug Bradley and his wife Steph who I absolutely [ __ ] adore.
>> I know. >> And we had lunch in Salem. It was great. And they're so easy to hang out with.
Like it was a real dream come true moment. >> I've only met them on Zoom, but they're
so kind. >> A real pinch me moment. and Steph got up to go to the bathroom and I was just
sitting with Doug and at the And I was just like for a moment I got like a super like moment of like I'm just
sitting here with Doug Brad like what do I talk to him about even though like Steph makes it so easy to talk with
anybody. >> Yeah. >> And so as soon as she left he just started naming he was like did you know
that groups this group of animals is called this? >> I love that. >> And this group of animals is called
this. And immediately I was like oh we're good. We're good. Like it was immediately like, "Oh, you said I I'll
survive this. >> You are one of us. >> Not only will I survive this, I will thrive in this.
>> I will thrive in this." Like it was it was such a good moment. I was like, "Of
course." Like that that's amazing. >> He said, "Tell me all of that Doug Bradley and his wife are are [ __ ]
peaches." Cuz she came I think Steph came back and we just kept naming animals. >> She just comes back from the table like
>> And this group of animals >> and this I think I think he said a group of of owls is called a parliament. Oh,
love that. Is that what it is? I'll check it. Group of owls called >> I wish they were just called
>> Parliament. I wish they were just called the who just that would be funny, >> right? But yeah, that was my little uh
like little side story with that >> love. >> And to let you know that Doug Bradley
and his wife Steph are really top-notch. >> She really just gave you many fun facts
in our fun fact segment. >> I really did. >> How am I going to top that next episode?
>> That's a that's a that's two fun facts for the price of one. >> The funnest facts. And again,
go to amusement parks, have your fun. >> Yeah. Just look at the tracks. >> Just be aware.
>> That's all. >> Hey, and you know what else? Keep listening. We hope you do. We hope you
keep listening. >> And we hope you >> keep it weird, but not so weird as um not so weird that if you change the
wording of the ending of our show that we've been doing for like 8 years, even slightly, I fall apart at the scenes and
cannot respond. >> I saw that. The slightest change. >> I thought I said I [ __ ] up.
>> I said miss just over here. >> Slightest change.

Since the late nineteenth century, amusement parks have been providing countless hours of enjoyment for people all around the world. Often driven by the latest technology and advances in mechanical engineering, the thrill rides at parks like Disney Land, Great America, and other independent parks offer a controlled environment to experience terror and excitement.

While these rides, and the parks in general, are very safe and held to strict safety standards, there are times when the unthinkable happens—a cable snaps, a safety harness breaks—and the once safe ride becomes a nightmare for passengers. Far more often than not, tragic amusement park accidents are the result of human foolishness or, far less often, operator error. But other times, they are a bizarre fluke; a one in a million mechanical problem no one saw coming. Either way, the results can be shocking, horrifying, and even deadly.

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References

Adler, Eric, and Katy Bergen. 2016. "Questions swirl as grief befalls family of boy killed on slide." Wichita Eagle, August 9: 1.

Associated Press. 2016. "Slide complaints surface." Iola Register (Iola, KS), August 10: 2.

Bella, Timothy. 2019. "How a freak accident happens." Esquire, January 29.

Boston Globe. 1923. "Couple injured on Derby Racer." Boston Globe, May 31: 14.

Brennan v. Ocean View Amusement Company. 1935. Unknown (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, January 16).

Daily Item. 1911. "Fatal accident on Revere Beach roller coaster." Daily Item (Lynn, MA), June 9: 19.

—. 1911. "Fatally hurt on roller coaster." Daily Item (Lynn, MA), May 22: 9.

Merrill, Jamie. 2015. "The funfair disaster that Britain forgot." The Independent on Sunday, June 7.

Omaha Evening Bee-News. 1930. "Ban coaster after plunge kills four." Omaha Evening Bee-News, July 25: 1.

—. 1930. "Survivor tells story of tragedy." Omaha Evening Bee-News, July 25: 2.

O'Neil, Elise. 2023. Benson's almost forgotten amusement park. July 27. Accessed February 4, 2026. https://douglascohistory.org/9743-2/.

Pound, Cath. 2022. The scandalous roots of the amusement park. August 21. Accessed February 3, 2026. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220818-the-surprisingly-scandalous-origins-of-disneyland.

Saner, Emine. 2024. "The rollercoaster I was on hurtled backwards and crashed." The Guardian, September 23.

Standard-Times. 1922. "New Bedford man, thrown from roller coaster, on danger list." Standard-Times (New Bedford, MA), September 12: 1.

The Times. 1973. "Big dipper a death trap, Crown says." The Times, November 6.

—. 1973. "Engineer says many parts of big dipper were unsafe." The Times, March 2.

—. 1972. "Two teenage boys and a girl killed in Battersea big dipper crash." The Times, May 5.

Vockrodt, Steve. 2018. "The making of Schlitterbahn’s Verrückt water slide: Too much, too fast? ." Kansas City Star, April 3.

Yesterday's America. n.d. The early history of theme parks in America. Accessed February 4, 2026. https://yesterdaysamerica.com/the-early-history-of-theme-parks-in-america/.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Listener Tale Theme Music licensed from https://www.purple-planet.com Main Theme: Matti Paalanen — Trick or Treat — Provided by Jamendo Ad Music: Title: Artist: BlueJay Studio — Spooky Waltz — Provided by Jamendo

Brief Summary

Ash and Elena discuss historical amusement park disasters, focusing on the Derby Racer and Big Dipper incidents, highlighting safety negligence and tragic outcomes.

Key points

Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day. A fun weekend is ahead with both Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day.
Pleasure Gardens Origins. The historical roots of amusement parks trace back to pleasure gardens in London.
Santa Claus Land: The First Theme Park. The first theme park opened in 1946, inspiring future parks like Disneyland.
Amusement Park Disasters. Exploring the dark side of amusement parks and their history of accidents.
The Derby Racer Accidents. Early roller coasters had a history of accidents, leading to serious injuries.
The Derby Racer's Tragic History. Frank Francis survives a horrific coaster accident, leading to safety changes.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I can't fathom how you can find something wrong with...

Controversial statement about societal issues.

3:38WatchFeb 19, 2026

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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