5 carnival ride accidents that happened before Ohio State Fair tragedy

It's been one year since the deadly incident at the Ohio State Fair killed one young man and injured several others.

News Center 7 I-Team Reporter Jim Otte looks at what's been done in the last year to make sure you stay safe at the fair. Watch a special report on Monday, July 23, beginning at 5 p.m. 

At the Ohio State Fair last year, 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell was killed and seven others were seriously injured in 2017 when a gondola on the Fire Ball ride snapped off and flung riders into the air and slammed them down onto the pavement in front of spectators.

Year after State Fair tragedy, families ‘live with this every day’

It’s not the first time that people have been injured at carnival and fair rides. Here are five other times that ride accidents have resulted in injuries or deaths:

1. Memphis, Tennessee - 2016 

A ride at the Delta Fair malfunctioned. An issue caused the Moonraker to malfunction while the ride was in operation, ActionNews5 reported. No deaths occurred, and only minor injuries were reported.

2. Greeneville, Mississippi - 2016 

Three children fell from a Ferris wheel at the Greene County Fair due to a “mechanical failure,” according to local news reports. Three girls fell more than 35 feet, and a 6-year-old suffered a traumatic brain injury.

3. Lincoln, Nebraska 

An 11-year-old girl was critically injured at an Omaha Cinco de Mayo celebration. The girl fell out of her seat, and her hair got caught in a ride mechanism. Her scalp was torn away from her head, according to omaha.com.

4. Frederick County, Virginia - 2016 

A woman was injured at the Frederick County Fairgrounds while riding the "Super Shot." The cables on the ride snapped, and the seat the woman was in detached from the main frame of the ride, reported WUSA9. The fall was about 40 feet.

5. Colorado Springs, Colorado - 2014 

A teen was thrown around his seat midair when the “Sky Fire” ride malfunctioned at the Colorado State Fair, local news organizations reported. The teen was seriously injured.

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