Weeks after the Fury 325 roller coaster at Carrowinds park was shut down due to a visitor spotting a large crack in one of the structure’s support beams, a second crack has been found by inspectors. When the coaster was first shut down, Carrowinds reported that it was in the process of installing a new support column, and was to begin testing.
Recently, the North Carolina Department of Labor issued a statement that indicated the presence of a second “weld indication,” which “could be either a break or a crack.”
As such, the department stated “No certificate of operation has been issued nor do we have a timeline of when the certificate of operation will be issued for the Fury 325.” This certificate is required for the ride to be operational.
Carowinds has released a statement reading:
“It is not uncommon to discover slight weld indications in various locations of a steel superstructure. It is important to note that these indications do not compromise the structural integrity or safety of the ride. We are conducting a full maintenance review of Fury 325 during this testing process. This maintenance review – which is consistent with routine off-season procedures – includes a review of the steel superstructure, the trains, and the ride control system. When such indications are found, we conduct non-destructive testing to determine the appropriate remedy. Once a repair is completed, it undergoes inspection and approval before the ride is deemed operational. Additionally, as is customary, we conduct test cycles to ensure its smooth operation before guests are allowed on the ride.”
As a review of the Fury 325 roller coaster is underway, there is no estimate of when the ride will be operational at the current time.
The following was originally published July 7, 2023:
A North Carolina amusement park’s biggest roller coaster has been shut down for inspection and repairs after a park visitor took video showing an alarming crack in one of the coaster’s support beams.
Jeremy Wagner had spent the day visiting Carowinds amusement park with his family, and had returned to the car to turn on the air conditioning while he waited for his daughter and her friend to finish riding the Fury 325 roller coaster a few more times before they all left the park. It was then, while waiting for them, that he spotted the crack in the coaster. Footage of the crack is ominous, as the weight of the coaster’s cars speeding down the track cause the support beam to shift, widening the gap in the defect.
“I’m like, I can see light through that,” Wagner said. “To be sure, I checked the other support beams close by, and then the car came by and shifted as it did. And I knew then.”
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Wagner took a quick video of the crack to show park personnel, and while the park eventually did shut the ride down later in the day, Wagner was unimpressed by the park’s initial response.
“I felt there was no urgency in any of the employees,” Wagner said. “Even after they had me AirDrop the video, the guest-services person walked off and said, ‘I’ll send this to somebody.’ And they just turned around and walked off, you know, nonchalant.”
WCNC Charlotte local news has since reported that Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers Inc., the firm that designed and built the Fury 325, are currently on-site inspecting the coaster. In a statement to the news channel, the engineering firm said, “We will continue to work closely with Carowinds to determine the cause, the repair and the reopening of the coaster. Please rest assured that safety is our top priority.”
