Disney’s Fort Wilderness Closed During Investigation

Disneyland’s Fort Wilderness on Tom Sawyer Island remained closed Thursday until the park completes its investigation into a weekend accident in which a 6-year-old girl’s finger was torn off.

The rest of the island was reopened.

Priscilla Figueroa of North Hollywood was playing with a toy rifle in the fort Sunday when she apparently slipped and caught her left index finger on something, according to police reports.

Disneyland spokesman Ray Gomez said the fort would remain closed until Disneyland finishes an internal investigation. The state agency that monitors amusement parks has no jurisdiction over the island because it is not a ride, but rather a play area with wooden forts, caves and bridges.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said this week it will begin its own investigation, examining whether the rifle may be to blame.

“Any time a consumer product is involved in an incident, it’s something we’re likely to investigate,” spokeswoman Jane Francis said.

“Our interest has to do with the product. How did this happen? Was there something with this particular product that contributed to this? Has it happened before? Is this the only incident? Is this a problem of the product, or was this one of those freak accidents that happened? We don’t know answers to any of that at this point.”

Francis said investigators plan to speak to the girl, her family and Disneyland employees.