Kennywood rollercoaster reopens after photo appears to show cinderblocks supporting part of the ride

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — Two days after an alarming photo from oneBURGH media blew up on Facebook, Kennywood pumped the brakes on the Racer, temporarily shutting the rollercoaster down Wednesday. The ride reopened on Thursday.

The picture appears to show part of the ride jacked up on two large cinder blocks.

“That’s not okay,” said Patrice Klimchock of Greensburg. “That’s scary to me.”

Channel 11 showed people the photo, including Justin Gambrell, a Kennywood employee.

“This doesn’t look right,” Gambrell said. “I didn’t even know about this, so this is a shocker for me. As somebody who works here, I feel like this should be stuff we know.”

A spokesperson for Kennywood said rides are inspected daily but wouldn’t say how this could’ve gone unnoticed.

“From my understanding that was inspected a few days ago, and that was how it was left to be running?” Klimchock said. “That concerns me.”

The Racer is one of Kennywood’s oldest rides, first opening in 1927.

Without going into detail about why the ride was closed, the amusement park’s communications director Lynsey Winters sent a brief statement saying, “A non-structural enhancement under the station is being made and the ride will reopen tomorrow.”

Some parkgoers are raising questions about safety protocols.

“I would want to know something like that even for the safety of others...because anything is possible,” Gambrell said.

Klimchock agreed.

“Kennywood’s a great place and we love Pittsburgh and want to support it, but they need to take better care,” she said.

When Channel 11 first inquired about the photo of the rollercoaster on Monday, Kennywood’s press team sent this statement:

“The safety of our attractions is our top priority. All rides at the park are inspected daily by Pennsylvania-certified state inspectors before opening so that they may be enjoyed safely by all guests.”

Channel 11 emailed and called the Department of Agriculture that oversees the ride’s inspectors and received the following statement:

“On Monday evening, July 22, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Amusement Ride Safety Division received a photo and concerns expressed regarding the appearance of a structural support for The Racer, a registered amusement ride at Kennywood. On Tuesday, July 23, the department sent a quality control inspector to the park.

“The inspection revealed that the support in question was not the primary structural support, but instead provided back-up support only. As a result, the department determined the ride was safe for operation, and recommended minor, non-structural modifications.

“Kennywood has closed the ride temporarily while these modifications are in progress.

“Under Pennsylvania law, ride operators are required to submit affidavits of inspection every 30 days to the department. These inspections are performed by state-certified inspectors employed by the ride operators. The ride names, operators, dates, and locations of these inspections are publicly available at www.ridesafe.pa.gov.”

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