Amusement park train derails, kills child and injures 28

Spartanburg amusement park train derails; kills child, injures 28

Miniature train started season's run on Saturday, was inspected this week


By Jenny Arnold
NYT Regional Media Group


Published: Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 12:15 a.m.
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A children's train ride at Cleveland Park derailed Saturday afternoon, killing a 6-year-old Gaffney boy and sending 28 people, mostly children, to the hospital. The extent of their injuries is unknown.


Click to enlarge Emergency personnel tend to victims following a miniature train wreck at Cleveland Park in Spartanburg, S.C., Saturday afternoon.




Investigators were working Saturday night to determine the cause of the crash. The miniature train, which was in its first hour of operation this season, apparently overturned near the bridge on Asheville Highway about 1 p.m.
Benjamin Samuel Easler of Gaffney died about 45 minutes later at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center from injuries suffered in the crash, according to the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office. He is the son of the Rev. Dwight Easler, pastor of Corinth Baptist Church in Gaffney, who was also on the train and injured.
Rick Burgess, an investigator with the 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office, attends Corinth Baptist Church and said a group of children ages 5 to 10 from the church went to the park on Saturday.
"I had two grandkids on it," Burgess said from an area hospital. "They're OK. But we haven't got to see them or talk to them. They've got us down here in a big conference room with a lot of other family members."
The Rev. Easler's wife, Tabitha, who is eight months pregnant, and their other two sons were also on the train. Tabitha Easler was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center for observation but appears to be doing well, Burgess said Friday night.
Dwight Easler suffered cuts and broken bones in the crash and remains at Spartanburg Regional.
Burgess' grandchildren, ages 7 and 9, were on the train and required stitches and staples but are recovering, he said.

 

yeah i have a friend that told me about this yest. she had heard that the engineer had been driving faster cuz the kids were enjoying it and squealing etc and having a good time...so he kept speeding up...dont know if she read it or it was on the news...(she lives in MO)..very sad either way...

 

wow..well they shouldnt have let them on then...what an sad ordeal, and like most things could have been prevented!!!