A roller coaster crash at Alton Towers Resort theme park in Staffordshire county England seriously injured four teenagers when two carriages on the ride collided on Tuesday.
Authorities told Sky News that 16 people were riding in one carriage on "The Smiler" ride around 2 p.m. local time when it slammed into an empty, stationary carriage that was on the track. Riders ended up stuck 25 feet in the air.
"[Those] who suffered serious leg injuries in the incident and are receiving treatment as we speak," Steve Parry, spokesman for the West Midlands Ambulance Service, told Sky News, stating that the four of the seriously injured included two males and two females.
"The other 12 occupants of the ride are not thought to be seriously injured. A platform has been built up in order for emergency services to reach the occupants on the ride, who are approximately 25 feet up in the air at an angle of about 45 degrees," Parry continued.
The company that runs the theme park, Merlin Entertainment, issued a statement saying that the accident is
being investigated, according to the BBC News.
"There has been an incident on the Smiler this afternoon involving two carriages coming together on a low section of the track. One of the carriages was empty and the other had 16 guests in," the Merlin Entertainment statement read.
"The resort's fully qualified first responders were on the scene immediately to assist with the evacuation which is ongoing, and the area has been closed to allow for access to emergency services vehicles," the statement continued.
Tom Whelton told Sky News that the roller coaster broke down when he rode on it three hours before the accident.
"When we got stuck on The Smiler . . . we were at the bottom of the first hill and they sent a train down behind us, which I thought was a bit strange," Whelton said. "We went about half-way across the park and we heard a big bang and we didn't know what it was."
The Smiler, which opened in May 2013, reportedly holds the Guinness World Record for most loops in a rollercoaster with 14, according to the Alton Towers website. Sky News also said the ride has been the subject of several accidents since its opening as well.
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