A Missouri couple is being hailed as heroes after saving two girls whose lap bar came loose mid-ride on the Mamba roller coaster at the Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City. This coaster, famous for its insane 205-foot drop and speeds hitting 72 mph, became a nightmare when a safety restraint failed on October 11.
According to ABC 7, Chris Evins and his wife noticed something was off with the girls beside them. “And there was this big of a gap between her and the lap bar,” Evins said. Realizing the bar had completely released, the couple acted fast, grabbing hold of the girls and holding them down for the rest of the ride. Evins recalled the girls were crying and terrified as the coaster plunged and twisted.
His wife, Cassie Evins, remembers the horror of that moment: “72 miles an hour, holding onto somebody. It’s terrifying.”
Another Guest Reports Safety Issue a Day Later
The day after the Evins’ near-disaster, another park-goer reported a similar safety problem with the Mamba’s seatbelt. This mom said her son’s seatbelt didn’t lock at the start of the ride. Park employees stopped it when they spotted the twisted, loose belt, adjusted it by hand, and then started it up again.
These stories are raising serious questions about the park’s upkeep and the reliability of the ride’s safety features.
Couple Demands Safety Changes at Worlds of Fun
After what happened, Cassie Evins says she and her family won’t be back to Worlds of Fun until they see real safety upgrades. “We need to see the change, and once we see that change, I will be comfortable taking my four children, whom I am not comfortable taking currently,” Cassie stated.
The couple shared that the experience was deeply upsetting, and things could have gone much worse without their quick thinking.
They’re hoping the park takes responsibility and puts in place stronger safety rules before the ride reopens.
Ride Taken Out of Service After Safety Inspection
Because of the incident, the Missouri Division of Fire Safety checked out the Mamba roller coaster and found that some safety devices were “not functioning properly.”
[Media placement suggestion: Insert image of Missouri Division of Fire Safety inspectors at amusement park with alt text “Missouri Inspectors Examine Mamba Roller Coaster Safety Systems”]
The ride has been shut down right away, and park staff have said that repairs are being done. The park thinks the Mamba will be back open Thursday or Friday once the safety problems have been fixed.
A Worlds of Fun representative hasn’t said anything official other than to confirm the shutdown and the inspection results.
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