New Findings Show Child Improperly Secured, Leading to Injury @ Maine’s Palace Playland

According to WGME 13, new details are emerging following an investigation into what caused a 10-year-old boy to become injured while riding on the SuperStar ride at Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. New details indicate that the ride's operator's may not have properly checked the child's restraints, causing him to attempt to get off the ride while it was in motion.

The incident, which originally occurred on Saturday, July 16th, resulted in the young boy being hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries. Reports indicated that immediately following the incident the boy was conscious and alert.

Now, new details are coming to light that may place blame on the operator of the ride. WGME is reporting that findings from the Maine Fire Marshal's Office indicate that the young boy told officials that his safety bar was not locked in when the ride began. He told them that he didn't feel safe, so he was trying to get off of the ride as it was starting.

Additionally, findings show that ride inspectors found some missing fasteners on the SuperStar ride and even a faulty lap-bar on one of the ride's cars. CBS 13 reports that those issues were fixed immediately after being discovered last month.

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This is a developing story and we will continue to keep it updated as more information becomes available to us.

The original story from July 18th continues below;

According to a press release from Maine Public Safety Spokeswoman, Shannon Moss, a child was taken to the hospital on Saturday evening following an injury that was sustained while on a Palace Playland ride.

The press release goes on to say that the incident occurred at approximately 6:01 Saturday evening while a 10-year-old boy was riding the SuperStar ride.

The release indicates that following the reported injury, the child was both conscious and alert. The 10-year-old was then transported to the hospital with what are being described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Moss says that following the incident, the Maine Fire Marshal's office came to the scene to inspect the ride. The ride passed the inspection.

The Fire Marshal's office is now looking into the chain of events that transpired leading up to the injury. Currently, the child's identity and place of residence is being withheld.

This is a developing story and we will continue to keep it updated as more information becomes available to us.

Below is the original press release from the Maine Department of Public Safety:

On Saturday, July 16, 2022 at approximately 6:01 pm, the Old Orchard Beach Fire Department responded to an incident that happened on a ride at Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach. A 10 year old boy was on the SuperStar ride when the incident occurred and the child was injured. The child was conscious and alert and was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators from the Fire Marshal’s office responded to Palace Playland that evening to investigate the incident and inspect the ride. The ride passed inspection. At this time the Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the series of events that led to the child’s injuries. The town and or state the child is from is not known at this time.