Miniature Train Accident Kills 6 Year Old

This is an amusement part ride type accident.

Here’s what was posted on Coaster-net.com:

Family Filing Lawsuit Against Officials

March 27, 2011 – Tyler Carlton

Spartanburg, SC – Six–year–old Bennie Easler was killed during a miniature train accident last Saturday at Cleveland Park located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The miniature train derailed and injured 27 passengers in addition to the young boy.

According to police, the driver of the train admits to driving the train faster than the established safe speed. Also, there were known problems with the train that were hidden and falsified by an inspector. State officials fired this inspector.

As a result of the accident the family of Bennie Easler and Spartanburg attorney Tom Killoren are filing a lawsuit against the parks commission of Spartanburg County and the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation.

Hard to tell all the safeguards that failed but there are at least two according to the article:

1) Human control of the train (driving too fast).

2) Safety inspection of the train (known problems not addressed).

After a fatality, the problems always seem more obvious. But we really did not have to kill a 6 year old to prevent this accident. It could have been prevented proactively.