Return to Transcripts main page

Breaking News

At Least Seven Injured in Fairground Explosion

Aired August 11, 2001 - 22:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: A piece of equipment, possibly a hydraulic pump, exploded on a ride at the Clark County fairgrounds in the town of Ridgefield, peppering the crowd with shrapnel and hot liquid, injuring at least seven people.

Joining us now with the latest on this on the telephone is John Becker of our affiliate station KGW TV from Portland. John, what can you tell us?

JOHN BECKER, KGW-TV REPORTER: Steve, I can tell you the good news at this point is the seven people that were injured, six of them have been treated and released. Three were treated on the scene near -- four taken to hospitals. One gentlemen is still in the hospital. He may need some foot surgery, but that's the latest on the injuries.

As far as the ride goes, it shut down. It's a hydraulic ride that rises up about 30 feet in the air and spins a couple of dozen fairgoers around so they can get a great view of the fairgrounds.

FRAZIER: As we're talking...

BECKER: Again...

FRAZIER: ...here. We're looking at some pictures here. Let me just interrupt and see if the picture corresponds to what you're saying. We're looking at a tall, cylindrical pole platform with a flag on the top of it, that's in the middle of the scene we're seeing. Is that the ride you're referring to, John?

BECKER: That's exactly the ride I'm referring to. It's call the Stardancer. And it was down for maintenance about 15 minutes after the last ride goers left. The operator called for the maintenance department because they were having some trouble with some overheating problems. That's when maintenance workers came up and started working on the hydraulic system. And that's when, I understand, the explosion happened.

Two gentlemen were working on the top of the hydraulic system, which is at the very bottom of the ride, and were injured by some shrapnel and a little bit of oil, from what I understand. So as fairgoers, only one was injured by anything flying in the air. It was a young boy about nine years old. But again, he's been treated and released from the hospital at this point -- Stephen. FRAZIER: It's such a festive scene that we're looking at, John. Is this a permanent installation now at the country fairgrounds? I know it goes back 130 years or so.

BECKER: Right, this is a traveling amusement park. So it's not here normally. It's just in for 10 days. In fact, this weekend, is its sort of wrap up weekend. Tomorrow's supposed to be the last day. And I can tell you, I'm walking right along with several hundred other fairgoers. The fair's going on despite this mishap.

FRAZIER: John Becker reporting from outside Portland from our affiliate station KGW. John, thanks so much for that update.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com