CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Officials at the Carowinds amusement park in North Carolina closed a roller coaster on Friday after discovering a crack at the top of a steel support pillar.
The Charlotte-based park, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in March, closed the Fury 325 ride, WSOC-TV reported. The attraction is billed as “the tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America, according to the park’s website.
Carowinds closed the Fury 325 giga coaster Friday due to a crack at the top of a steel support pillar, officials with the park said. https://t.co/RYLiD3fmaN
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) July 1, 2023
“The park’s maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed,” Carowinds said in a statement. “As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”
A giga coaster is a ride that has drops between 300 and 399 feet.
Carowinds says the Fury 325 takes riders to a maximum height of 325 feet and reaches speeds of up to 95 mph. The ride drops at an 81-degree angle.
CNN reported that the rest of Carowinds’ attractions and water park remained open on Saturday.
The crack was discovered on Friday by a visitor to the park, Fox News reported.
Jeremy Wagner posted on Facebook that he discovered the crack and notified officials at the park, according to the news organization.
