SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The manufacturer of a ride that malfunctioned at the Ohio State Fair Wednesday -- killing one person and injuring at least 7 others -- has ordered the worldwide shutdown of the rides, including one at Belmont Park in San Diego.
People at Belmont Park were surprised to see the popular ride Beach Blaster closed.
"I won't ever allow him to ride anything like this again," said Lisa Schirmer of San Diego. She was at Belmont Park with her grandson and thought it was a good idea the ride shut down.
"It's better safe than sorry because I'm sure the families of those kids that were riding that ride are sorry now," said Schirmer.
Others were hopeful the ride opens again soon.
"It makes sense, you want to make sure people are safe and everything, but I just hope it's not shut down for long because I trust this one," said Mallory Smith. Smith says she's been on the ride at Belmont Park dozens of times.
Cal/OSHA confirmed that ride manufacturer KMG has asked its operators around the world close rides as an investigation is launched into the Ohio incident.
According to KMG, there are 43 rides similar to the Fire Ball around the world, including 11 in the U.S. Six of those rides are located in California, Cal/OSHA said:
-- Orange County Fair owned and operated by Ray Cammack Shows (portable ride)
-- Cal Expo State Fair owned and operated by Butler Amusements (portable ride)
-- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
-- California's Great America in Santa Clara
-- Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park
-- The Beach Blaster at Belmont Park in San Diego
RELATED: Cal/OSHA Fire Ball accident report
The lone person killed in Wednesday's accident was identified as 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell. Authorities said he was thrown about 50 feet and pronounced dead at the scene.
The injured people ranged in age from 14 to 42, and two of them were listed in critical condition. Others at the fair were reportedly hit by debris.
The Fire Ball swings 24 riders back and forth like a pendulum 40 feet above the ground while they sit facing each other in four-seat carriages that spin at 13 revolutions a minute, according to the company's website.
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- Riders ejected from attraction at state fair in Ohio, 1 killed
TheInternational Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions posted on its website that safety is the number one priority of the attractions industry. The site also states the odds of being injured on a fixed-site ride at a U.S. amusement park are lower than the odds of dying on America's roadways or being struck by lightning.
