Daytona 500 stopped after fiery explosion with jet drier

Posted by admin on Feb 27, 2012 | 0 comments

DAYTONA BEACH – 

The Daytona 500 is under a caution after a car collided with a jet drier on the track.

That car was driven by Juan Pablo Montoya.  He was able to get out of the car, and reports say that everyone is OK.

Montoya was driving well behind the rest of the field when something on his car broke and he slid out of control into the jet drier, setting off an explosion and sending fuel pouring onto the track.

The jet drier holds 200 gallons of jet kerosene.

The driver of the jet drier was helped out of his truck.

The race finally got started under the lights at Daytona International Speedway just after 7 p.m.

And within the first two laps, several drivers were involved in a crash, including Jimmie Johnson, Danica Patrick, Trevor Bayne, David Ragan, Elliott Sadler and Kurt Busch. Jimmie Johnson is out of the race, and Sadler is in while the others are examining their cars to see if they can return.

Bayne won the Daytona 500 last year.

NASCAR officials said the weather forecast has forced them to push the start time to seven hours later from the original noon start today.

Just a week ago, officials at Daytona International Speedway were beaming at the great weather that stuck around for every other event during Speedweeks.

But by Sunday afternoon, that string of good luck finally ran out.

The Daytona 500 has run in the rain before, but never has wet weather postponed the race — until now.

“While we’re suspending the start from noon to 7 ET, we’re not suspending our efforts. We’ll be working all day,” said NASCAR president Mike Helton.

Jet dryers spent about two hours getting the track ready after some early afternoon rain. Fortunately storms are staying off to the south of the track.

Racing teams have to be a little wound up, having been preparing all winter for the first race of the year, only to have to sit around all day.

And if the rain delay wasn’t enough, the next scheduled race is Sunday, March 4, in Phoenix. That gives teams less time to go home and do some laundry before heading west.

The Daytona 500 Champion’s Breakfast has been postponed to a later date.

Carl Edwards, runner-up to Tony Stewart in last year’s championship race, will start from the pole. Former IndyCar star Danica Patrick will make her Daytona 500 debut.

Inspectors found roaches and temperature violations at some Florida theme park restaurants

Posted by admin on Jul 22, 2011 | 0 comments

Article was done by Wendy Ryan of  Abc Action news of Tampa Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s summertime and that means the kids are out of school and it’s time to enjoy the amusement parks! But when you get off the roller coaster to chow down, have you ever wondered how clean all those restaurants are?

MORE: Search our theme park inspection database

In a special I-Team investigation, we looked through over 250 restaurant inspection reports from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants in and around the amusement parks, including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Busch Gardens, Universal and surrounding areas.

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For the most part, the amusement park restaurants seemed to keep their places clean. But we found two restaurants at Magic Kingdom on North Monorail Way in Bay Lake that might make you think twice about how magical things are in the kitchens.

The Crystal Palace advertises that you can join Winnie the Pooh and friends at a bountiful buffet but state inspectors found food they serve at dangerous temperatures. On June 9, 2011 Crystal Palace had to throw out two large pans of shrimp and 10 pounds of NY strip beef because they were not properly cooled overnight from 135 degrees to 70 degrees in 2 hours and then from 70 degrees to 41 degrees in 4 hours. The restaurant also had to toss out over 8 pounds of grape jelly because the cans were rusted and not in good condition. Crystal Palace had a total of 25 violations during that June 9th inspection, accumulating 13 critical violations and 12 non-critical violations.

The Liberty Tree Tavern inside the Magic Kingdom is the replica of an 18th-century Colonial restaurant that serves hearty New England-style lunches but state inspectors found something in the kitchen not on the menu. On June 10, 2011 state inspectors found dead roaches on the premises, in a light fixture over the wait station. They also documented pasta at 110 degrees instead of 135 degrees or above. And according to that report, there were cross contamination issues in the walk-in cooler with raw chicken stored over raw pork and raw trout stored over cooked crab and ready to eat salmon. Inspectors documented 18 violations in that report with 8 critical violations and 10 non-critical violations found. 

When you arrive at Epcot Theme Park on North Avenue of the Stars in Lake Buena Vista, you will find an array of places to eat. The Rose and Crown Pub is the only full-service pub in Epcot with British beers and classic pub cuisine but it wasn’t the fish and chips that got the attention of inspectors. State inspectors issued a stop sale on November 1, 2010 after finding 4 lbs of whipped cream and 3 lbs of custard at too warm a temperature of 48 degrees instead of 41 degrees or below. Inspectors also found other cold food not at 41 degrees or below including butter at the server area at 63 degrees, corned beef and cheese sandwiches at 70 degrees, and whipped cream spray at 51 degrees. Potatoes and onion cooked garnish for soup was not hot enough too, according to the inspection report, sitting in the kitchen at 110 degrees instead of 135 degrees or warmer. There were also cross contamination issues as inspectors found raw beef next to lettuce with the risk of drippage. A total of 22 violations were accumulated in November, with 12 critical issues and 10 non-critical.

Scroll down to see the response from Walt Disney World. 

And Busch Gardens’ Zambia Smokehouse serves up barbecue baby back ribs and smoked chicken. But inspectors found something else in the kitchen. On June 6, 2011 state inspectors found 5 live roaches under the handsink and issued a stop sale on 91 pounds of food that was not properly cooled. Zambia had to throw out 50 lbs of cooked pasta, 7 lbs of cooked chicken strips, 18 lbs of pulled chicken, 5 lbs of sliced turkey, 3 lbs of shredded cheddar cheese, 5 lbs of sliced swiss cheese, and 3 lbs of cooked chicken wings.

Inspectors found turkey at 44 degrees, along with swiss cheese, chicken strips, sliced turkey, and chicken wings all above 51 degrees or warmer. and 40 lbs of pasta not properly cooled, sitting at 52 degrees and out of date but still being served. Zambia had a total of 15 violations during that June visit with 11 critical and 5 non-critical on June 6th.

Scroll down to see the response from Busch Gardens.

Disney World response: “We are committed to the highest standards in food safety and have been internationally recognized for our efforts. We take matters such as this very seriously and quickly worked to address the inspector’s concerns.”

Zoraya Suarez – Manager of Media Relations, Walt Disney World

Busch Gardens response:  At Busch Gardens we pride ourselves on more than 50 years delivering quality service to guests from around the world.

reflect that commitment.

We play host to thousands of guests each day and provide quality dining selections and service. Whenever an issue is brought to our attention, we address the situation immediately. Our record in food safety is exemplary and our guest surveys consistently

The Zambia Smokehouse has been in operation since 2005, and the recent early-morning visit from the health inspector is the first and only time the facility has been cited. We took immediate action to correct the issues raised in the inspection and the restaurant opened on time at 11 a.m. Our guests’ health and safety were never compromised at any time.

Most of the issues concerned a refrigerator that had stopped cooling overnight due to a frozen condenser. The food inside had reached temperatures that are deemed safe for prepared food over a maximum of four hours. However, because we were unaware of when the refrigerator malfunctioned, we discarded the food immediately, which is our long-standing policy. Though the food was never considered for service to the public, it was recorded in the report as a “stop sale.”

Also noted were a few pieces of kitchen equipment that were not cleaned sufficiently as the restaurant closed the night before. However, a thorough cleaning of all food preparation equipment every morning is part of the start-up procedure for all of Busch Gardens’ restaurants. All of the issues noted by the inspector were addressed as part of that morning clean-up and were in compliance before the restaurant opened that morning.

As a result of fissure where a sink pipe comes through the wall, evidence of insect activity was discovered under the sink. The crack was repaired immediately, and the restaurant treated by Busch Gardens’ pest control team.

The inspector was back on site 24 hours later, and the restaurant was found to be in full compliance. Safety continues to be our top priority at Busch Gardens, and we stand by our record of quality service to our guests.

Inspectors found roaches and temperature violations at some amusement park restaurants

Go Bananas Amusement Park Owner, Charged After 3-Year-Old Jason Dansby’s Death

Posted by admin on Jul 22, 2011 | 0 comments

Norridge, Ill. – A northwest suburban amusement park owner and manager allegedly violated a state safety act, a problem that came to light following the death of a childwho fell from a ride in April, Pioneer Press is reporting.

Both Jerrold Marks, 58, of 55 W. Delaware Pl. in Chicago, owner of Go Bananas at 4516 N. Harlem Ave. in Norridge; and his manager, James Hayes, 51, of 31 King Henry Rd. SE in Poplar Grove, were charged July 5 with two counts of violating the Carnival Rides and Amusement Safety Act.

An Illinois Department of Labor investigation following the April 2 death of 3-year-old Jason Dansby of Dolton, who fell from the Python Pit roller coaster at Go Bananas, found discrepancies in the park’s record keeping. The department filed a complaint with Norridge police about the discrepancies, which are Class A misdemeanors.

The ride was subsequently reinspected by the department and met all design and maintenance specifications, according to a department spokesperson.

According to Norridge police Det. Charles Tortorello, Class A misdemeanors are punishable by a fine of $2,500 for each charge and/or a jail term of one day less than a year. The defendants can also receive supervision instead of a jail term.

Bonds were set at $1,000 and their next court date is Aug. 11.

A lawsuit brought by the Dansby family is also pending.

Neither Marks, nor his representatives, have commented.

The owner and manager of a suburban Chicago theme park have been charged with misdemeanors following the death of a three-year-old boy on one of the park’s rides.

Jason Dansby was riding the Python Pit roller coaster at the Go Bananas theme park in Norridge when he fell out of the car, was struck, and died from traumatic head injury on April 2 of this year.

Law enforcement officials are now charging owner Jerrold Marks, 58, and his manager James Hayes, 51, with two misdemeanor charges of violating the Carnival Rides and Amusement Safety Act,according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Apparently, the Illinois Department of Labor found that the park had been keeping shoddy safety records about its equipment. But there was no sign that the equipment itself was unsafe: the Department of Labor re-inspected the Python Pit ride, and found nothing wrong with it.

According to NBC Chicago, the two men face up to a year in prison if convicted of the charges, though in reality, misdemeanors very rarely result in jail time.

The bigger court cases relating to Dansby’s death are civil proceedings, filed both by Dansby’s family and by Marion Grant, a woman who came to the boy’s aid after seeing him slip the ride’s safety restraint and fall. Dansby’s parents have filed a wrongful death suit seeking undisclosed damages, and Grant is suing for emotional distress after the incident.

Those cases are still pending.

Darien Lake fined for ‘operator error’ in deadly incident

Posted by admin on Jul 22, 2011 | 0 comments

Albany (WSYR-TV) – Darien Lake Theme Park has been fined after receiving two violations stemming from an incident in which an Iraq War veteran was killed when he was thrown from roller coaster.

According to the New York State Department of Labor, the death of Army Sgt. James Hackemer was the result of operator error. Their investigation found that while the roller coaster was mechanically sound, the operators did not follow rules, which state that riders must have both legs because the safety devices restrain legs, shins, and the lap. Hackemer lost both of his legs fighting in Iraq.

The department issued two violations citing that the operators were not properly trained on safety and operations restrictions for the ride, nor were they familiar with its safety requirements.

The Ride of Steel has remained closed since the July 8 incident. The department says the ride will reopen since corrective actions it ordered have been taken:

• All employees who operate the Ride of Steel have been retrained in safety procedures
• New, clearer signage has been posted in the Park that describes ride safety regulations
• Park management must now review all safety restrictions on every ride prior to the start of each ride operator’s shift

Elgin cop accused of attacking amusement park workers

Posted by admin on Jul 20, 2011 | 0 comments

Elgin police confirmed Tuesday putting a veteran cop on restricted duty after his weekend arrest on an assault charge at a Michigan amusement park.

Officer Lance Adams III, 50, of Huntley, and his nephew Jamie Smith, 29, of South Bend, Ind., each face a misdemeanor assault charge in Muskegon County.

County police say that at 9:33 p.m. Saturday, Adams, a 9-year-veteran of the Elgin force, attacked a pair of workers at Michigan Adventure after the workers refused to let him and his nephew onto a skycoaster called the Ripcord.

A worker suspected the pair was intoxicated and denied Adams and his nephew entry onto the ride for their own safety, reports said.

According to a police report: Adams pushed a 21-year-old park employee in the shoulder near the ride’s entrance. Adams also grabbed the 29-year-old ride’s manager by the neck and pushed him. When the manager tried to fight Adams off, Smith punched him in the forehead.

Both men said they were not hurt.

When county police approached Adams, he immediately said he was an off-duty officer who worked for the Elgin Police Department.

“Lance was very difficult with me and told me that I better do my job right,” the deputy wrote in his report. ” … I further tried to explain to Lance that this was an assault complaint and that I understood that he was a police officer, but I had to investigate.”

When it came time to arrest Adams, he made a scene with his “loud, boisterous and foul language,” and told the arresting deputy, “You better write your report right, i’s dotted and t’s crossed, because I’m coming after you.”

Both men have since paid bail and each refused a breath test once at the station, police said.

But Adams’ stay at the jail didn’t go well, according to the police report, which says he resisted police, forcing them to take him to the ground, where he continued to disobey instructions to give them his hands. Other charges are pending, authorities said.

Adams has been assigned to desk duty while the case plays out in Michigan, Elgin police spokeswoman Sue Olafson said, adding that the city is running its own probe.

“For starters, we need to understand what Michigan is charging him with because assault in Michigan might be different than assault in Illinois, so we need to investigate all sides of this,” Olafson said.

Adams is a member of the police department’s honor guard, which performs at police-related ceremonies.

Safety expert, lawyer say Darien Lake should have barred James Hackemer from ride

Posted by admin on Jul 12, 2011 | 0 comments

BUFFALO — Army Sgt. James Hackemer, who lost both legs in Iraq in 2008, should have never been allowed to board the Darien Lake rollercoaster that caused his fatal accident.

That is according to amusement park safety expert Bill Avery, a managing partner of the Florida-based company Avery & Avery.

REPORTER: Generally, is it a good idea — is it safe — to let a double amputee onto a roller coaster?

AVERY: On the face of what you’re asking, just based on what I know about rides in this industry, and that this was a lap restraint configuration, that would give me grave concern… If you seat belt somebody at that particular part of their body — the apex — and nothing exists below it, you know, one fluid movement could make the restraint basically non-existent.

REPORTER: Given this man’s disabilities, should he have ever been let on that ride?

AVERY: Should he have ever been let on that ride? My opinion, based on doing it without the prosthetic legs, no, I don’t think so. I don’t believe he should have.

Hackemer, 29, died last Friday after he fell off the “Ride of Steel” rollercoaster at Darien Lake Theme Park. The ride was once known as “Superman.” Its operator allowed Hackemer to board even though he was not wearing his prosthetic legs, one of which included an artificial hip.

Hackemer, who is a father of two, was nearly killed by a roadside bomb, which caused his legs to be amputated. His long and heroic recovery was the subject of several news stories.

While addressing reporters during the weekend, Hackemer’s sisters said their brother died doing what he loved, and that it was not their intention to sue Darien Lake.

“That was his intent was to get on that Superman,” said his sister Jody. “Like I said, James is next to impossible to say no to.”

But Avery said, given what he knows, the park should have said no.

A Darien Lake spokesperson said the park will not answer questions about the accident or its policies involving amputees on the “Ride of Steel” until it concludes its investigation. The spokesperson would not say when it would conclude.

“My rule of thumb, when I was in the business, ‘when in doubt, out,’” Avery said. “You just can’t take that kind of gamble when, if you don’t know clearly, what it is you’re dealing with.”