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Coney Island Cyclone Sending Some Riders to Hospital
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 9, 2008
Modified Jun 9, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 9, 2008
Modified Jun 9, 2008
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Last summer was a rough one for some riders of the 81-year-old Coney Island Cyclone; the Post reports that at least seven people were injured throughout the season while riding the roller coaster. According to Astroland operator Carole Albert’s website, the ride “has the highest safety standards in the outdoor amusement industry,” and in order to maintain that perception, Albert’s been trying to quietly settle the ensuing lawsuits out of court.
The injured riders all sustained neck or back injuries, which Albert’s lawyers blame on a malfunction that caused the Cyclone to make its first 85-foot drop with too much speed. (It reaches top speeds of 60 mph.) The problem has since been corrected, but not before it finally resulted in a fatality. After a ride on the Cyclone last July 31st, 53-year-old Keith Shirasawa of California fractured three neck vertebrae and died four days later after complications from surgery.
Photo courtesy Wally G.
Tagged
astroland
coney island
cyclone
death
died
fatality
injured
injury
roller coaster
wooden
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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