Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Roller Coaster Reopens as Accidents Blamed on Human Error

The Cyclone Coaster at the Antelope Valley Fair, which was temporarily closed after two accidents on the ride injured nine people, has been reopened, authorities said Thursday.

State Industrial Relations Department officials said they rescinded the permit for the Cyclone Coaster for two days until it was determined that both accidents were caused by operator error and not a mechanical defect, said department spokesman John Duncan.

None of the injuries was serious and the ride was allowed to reopen Wednesday evening, Duncan said.

In addition, the state fire marshal canceled a fireworks show at the fair after nearby residents reported seeing flaming material land on their homes nearby, according to fair director Bruce Latta.

“We had fallout into some neighborhoods that we shouldn’t have, so the fire marshal pulled their permit,” Latta said.

Fair organizers originally planned a five-minute fireworks show every night at 11 p.m., but shows on Saturday and Monday nights started an hour late because of technical difficulties. The contractor, Zambelli Internationale Fireworks, was cited for failure to follow the terms of its state fireworks permit, Latta said.

Latta said the roller coaster was back in business after state inspectors, who issue permits for all carnival rides operated in California, gave their approval. “So far, we haven’t had any more problems with it,” Latta said.

The accidents on the roller coaster, which takes six people to operate, occurred when cars failed to stop at the end of the ride and slammed into cars waiting at the loading platform, Latta said.

It is the responsibility of one person to reset the brake system each time the ride runs, which was not done, Latta said. “Apparently, (one operator) must have forgotten to reset it,” he said.

The operator who was on duty during those accidents has been transferred, he added.

On Monday, four girls were injured when a car on the roller coaster made its final turn and raced into the loading area, slamming into an empty car that hit another car ahead of it filled with passengers.

The girls complained of pain in their stomachs after the restraining bar in the car hit them. They were not seriously injured, officials said.

On Sunday night, five people were injured when an empty car rear-ended a car filled with passengers at the loading platform. A third car barreled into the loading area and hit the empty car in that incident.

Four of the five injured passengers were taken to the hospital, where they were treated and released that night.