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JAMES CITY COUNTY -- Several guests at Busch Gardens were treated at the park or taken to the hospital Thursday.

They were riding the popular Griffon roller coaster as strong winds blew threw the area, catching hold of a prop that blew into the ride.

Bruce Wilson, Communications Manager for Busch Gardens and Water Country USA released this statement:

"At approximately 7:30 p.m., Thursday, a quickly moving storm caused a weather-related incident at Busch Gardens that caused injuries to several guests riding the Griffon roller coaster. A sudden gust of high winds knocked an inflatable prop from its anchor points as park employees were in the process of deflating it. Winds blew the prop into the path of an oncoming coaster train, which came to a stop at the top of the coaster’s second hill.

Guests were evacuated from the train and treated on site for any injuries they may have suffered. Five guests requested transportation to Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center. Please contact the hospital for further information on the guests' conditions."

http://www.wvec.com/news/Passengers-on-rollercoaster-hurt-during-storm-100090544.html

I'm guessing the mentioned "props" are those blow-up hot-air balloons around France.
 
Man you're fast!

Anyone know where the train was when the collision happened?

[Sent from my iPod]
 
BBW said:
I wonder what the nature of the injuries was? Hope everyone is ok.

I think the injures are most likely not serious at all. The riders requested to be taken to the hospital. Had the injuries been serious, it wouldn't have been a question. I'm guessing some scratches and cuts.
 
You're still going to have your get something for nothing OMG im suing people who will get a fat settlement. That crap annoys me. I was leaving the training building when that happened, maybe i should have gone in the park
 
FlyerMiles said:
^The report says it e-stopped on the mcbr. And if it was going fast enough to injure several people I would say it hit just as the train was entering the immelmann.

That was my guess as well.

At least these people had a nice story to tell when they got home. :p
 
Well the storm last night was very odd. When it came in first- there were no clouds - BUT GUSTS OF WIND. Holy cow! Then the wind and rain came in hard- almost like a hurricane.

I was scared by that storm last night. Ironically, my first thought was that I hope everyone was Ok at BGW; employees and visitors. I suppose I just had "a feeling". Being caught outside in that storm would have been terrifing.

What a tragedy for everyone. I am sure the people are OK; and I pray that no one in the group tries to make a fast buck on this accident. But in any group; there is always "that one" that blows things out of proportion. If I were the one in the ride when this happened.. and I came out ok- with no serious injuries. My response would have been to laugh it off; and say something witty like "so that is something new and unexpected"; but then get serious and expect some answers and apologies from the park. Give me some free stuff and set me up with some serious goodies and more than likely I would be thrilled.

Sadly, I cannot say that for most people and I really hope this does not put a damper on IllumiNights.
 
At least they were already deflating the balloon when it happened. Storms like that occur all the time with as close to the river as they are. They come up fast and even with every precaution the park can take, sometimes crap happens. I hope everyone was okay, just a few cuts and scrapes. They do have quite the story to tell now. And I do hope they don't blow things out of proportion and get all "hot coffee" on the park.
 
now the park will HAVE to rip out griffon and put a ride in worthy of replacing le mans, but more than that, all those trees. ;)
 
As of Friday, August 6, all the ballons are gone, including the large one in front of the Royal Palace Theater.

It's unfortunate that this accident happened, but Busch Gardens had ample warning that the storm was approaching. It rolled through Richmond with severe winds, lightining and very heavy rains. I watched it roll in from the west and continue right down I-64 right to the beach. This wasn't some afternoon storm that rose up beacuase of the heat and humidity. It was associated with a cold front moving east.
 
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