Roller Coaster Ride Turns into Nightmare as Couple Hurls Young Girls to Safety after Seat Belt Malfunction
A harrowing incident unfolded on the Mamba roller coaster at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City when two young girls found their seat belts not latched, sending them into a heart-stopping plunge at 72 miles per hour. Chris Evins and his wife Cassie, who were riding behind the girls, sprang into action to prevent any further harm.
"It was completely undone," Chris Evins recalled of the moment he spotted the open seat belt. "And there was this big of a gap between her and the lap bar." With the coaster hurtling forward at breakneck speed, the couple knew they had to act fast. They held onto the girls and their friend as the 205-foot-tall ride continued, speaking words of reassurance to calm their terrified young passengers.
The girls were visibly shaken by the ordeal, with one describing it as "terrifying." Just days later, another guest reported a similar seat belt malfunction on the same ride. This time, however, the coaster was halted mid-ride and the problematic seat belt was adjusted before the car continued safely to its destination.
Inspectors from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety were called in to assess the situation and discovered that some restraint devices on the Mamba were not functioning properly. The ride was subsequently taken out of commission until repairs were made, with officials assuring guests that all necessary modifications would be implemented to ensure their safety.
For Cassie Evins, however, the incident has left her questioning whether she can trust the roller coaster to keep her own children safe. "We probably won't go back for a while," she said of Worlds of Fun. "We need to see the change, and once we see that change, I will be comfortable taking my four children."
The safety of guests and staff is clearly paramount at Worlds of Fun, with park officials promising to do everything in their power to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
A harrowing incident unfolded on the Mamba roller coaster at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City when two young girls found their seat belts not latched, sending them into a heart-stopping plunge at 72 miles per hour. Chris Evins and his wife Cassie, who were riding behind the girls, sprang into action to prevent any further harm.
"It was completely undone," Chris Evins recalled of the moment he spotted the open seat belt. "And there was this big of a gap between her and the lap bar." With the coaster hurtling forward at breakneck speed, the couple knew they had to act fast. They held onto the girls and their friend as the 205-foot-tall ride continued, speaking words of reassurance to calm their terrified young passengers.
The girls were visibly shaken by the ordeal, with one describing it as "terrifying." Just days later, another guest reported a similar seat belt malfunction on the same ride. This time, however, the coaster was halted mid-ride and the problematic seat belt was adjusted before the car continued safely to its destination.
Inspectors from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety were called in to assess the situation and discovered that some restraint devices on the Mamba were not functioning properly. The ride was subsequently taken out of commission until repairs were made, with officials assuring guests that all necessary modifications would be implemented to ensure their safety.
For Cassie Evins, however, the incident has left her questioning whether she can trust the roller coaster to keep her own children safe. "We probably won't go back for a while," she said of Worlds of Fun. "We need to see the change, and once we see that change, I will be comfortable taking my four children."
The safety of guests and staff is clearly paramount at Worlds of Fun, with park officials promising to do everything in their power to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
This whole thing sounds super scary! 
I'm glad Chris Evins and his wife acted so fast to save those girls' lives... it's like something out of a movie 
. The fact that there were two separate incidents on the same ride, though, is really concerning 
. You'd think they'd be able to get it right from the start, but I guess even roller coasters need some TLC 
. It's cool that the park officials are taking this seriously and making changes, but for me, I'm gonna keep an eye on this one 
... can't say I blame Cassie Evins for being hesitant to take her kids back 
. Safety first is definitely the way to go 
They're literally heroes! 
The fact that there was a second incident just days later is super concerning and needs to be looked into ASAP. Safety first, right? 
Can't wait to see the changes that Worlds of Fun will make to ensure everyone's safe on their rides #RollerCoasterSafetyMatters #HeroModeActivated #NotGonnaLieThisIsTerrifying 
i mean idk what's more scary than the ride itself, but having to deal with seat belt malfunctions too? 
like, come on! safety first, ppl! 
but for people like Cassie Evins (RIP her faith in roller coasters), it's all about trust... or lack thereof 
. guess we'll just have to wait 'n' see how the park's modifications pan out 
OMG, can you even imagine having a seat belt malfunction on a roller coaster?! 
. But what's crazy is that this isn't an isolated incident - someone else reported a similar problem just days later! 
Like, how does that even happen? And yeah, it's great that inspectors were called in and fixed the issue ASAP 
.
It's a tough trade-off, but I guess that's just how risk and reward play out in life. The question is, what does it say about our society when we're so shaken by incidents like this that we start to second-guess ourselves? Shouldn't we be more confident in the safety measures that are in place? 
! I mean, can you even imagine being 72 miles per hour and not knowing if your seatbelt is gonna hold up? 
. It's crazy that they had to intervene like that, but at the same time, it shows that human instincts can kick in even in emergency situations #RollerCoasterSafetyMatters #HeroModeActivated #NoMoreRollerCoasterWoes