Couple help secure young girls on Missouri roller coaster after alleged seatbelt malfunction
**Roller Coaster Rides Turn from Thrills to Scares at Worlds of Fun**
*Kansas City, Mo.* — What was meant to be a thrilling ride on the Mamba roller coaster at Worlds of Fun took a frightening turn for some guests earlier this month.
On October 11, Chris and Cassie Evins were riding the Mamba, the tallest coaster at the Kansas City theme park, when a young girl seated behind them announced that her seat belt was not latched.
“It was completely undone,” said Chris Evins, who helped hold the girl down. “And there was this big of a gap between her and the lap bar.”
As the 205-foot-tall coaster continued its rapid course, Chris and his wife held onto the girl and her friend next to her tightly.
“I said, ‘Look, you’re going to make it through the rest of this ride. We’re not going to let you go,’” Chris recalled.
Cassie Evins added that both girls were crying as they clung on for safety.
“At 72 miles an hour, holding onto somebody, it’s terrifying,” Cassie said.
Just one day after this distressing incident, another guest reported a similar seat belt malfunction on the Mamba.
A mother said she realized her son’s seat belt hadn’t locked as the ride approached its first climb. Thankfully, this time the ride stopped, and the loose, twisted seat belt was adjusted before continuing.
“We probably won’t go back for a while,” Cassie Evins said. “We need to see the change, and once we do, I will feel comfortable taking my four children — which I currently do not.”
In response to these incidents, inspectors from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety evaluated the coaster on Thursday morning. They informed one of the guests involved that some restraint devices on the Mamba were “not functioning properly.” As a precaution, the ride was taken out of service until repairs could be made, which were expected to be completed by Thursday or Friday.
KMBC 9 reached out to Six Flags, the parent company of Worlds of Fun, for a statement regarding the situation. A park spokesperson said:
> “The safety of our guests and team members is a top priority. Following the report of a guest concern on the ride earlier this month, our team immediately closed the ride and completed a thorough inspection before reopening it that evening.
> The ride is equipped with a multi-layered restraint system, and it has operated safely since the initial concern was raised.
> The ride has undergone a comprehensive safety review, and we have implemented modifications requested by the Fire Marshall to ensure it meets or exceeds all applicable safety standards before it reopens to guests this evening.”
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*This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.*
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https://abc7.com/post/couple-help-secure-girls-roller-coaster-alleged-seatbelt-malfunction-worlds-fun-kansas-city-missouri/18097910/
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