A tragedy struck the Blois funfair (Loir-et-Cher) on Saturday April 20, 2024. A young woman died after falling from a thrill ride, reports France 3 Centre-Val de Loire. The victim, a 27-year-old resident of Blois, was thrown from a ride. She succumbed to her injuries during the night from Saturday to Sunday. The authorities reacted quickly, with intervention of firefighters, Smur 41 and the police at the scene of the accident. Rushed to hospital, she unfortunately did not survive. Following this tragic event, the municipality decided to close the funfair for the day of Sunday April 21, 2024, out of respect for the victim and his family. “The funfair opened its doors on March 30 and was due to end this Sunday, April 21. It will not reopen its doors today following the dramatic circumstances”, informed the municipality of Blois according to BFMTV. Still according to our colleagues, a judicial investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the accident. The owner of the ride was taken into custody for manslaughter. The ride itself was sealed pending the necessary checks by investigators. “Several witnesses were interviewed and a video from a third party is being analyzed”added the Blois prosecutor, Charlotte Beluet to AFP.
Similar accidents
The city of Blois has assured to mandate “at his expense and on his own initiative, an external firm, approved by the Ministry of the Interior” For check the proper functioning of attractions, according to TF1 Info. However, details regarding the operation of the ride in question and the reasons for the failure of the safety device remain to be determined. This tragic incident is part of a series of fatal accidents that have occurred in recent years at fairgrounds and amusement parks across France. Last August, a 17-year-old teenager was, for example, killed and a 19-year-old woman seriously injured on a ride in an amusement park in Cap d’Agde. A few months earlier, at the end of June, a 16-year-old teenager died in Saintes (Charente-Maritime) after being ejected from a caterpillar-type attraction while it was gaining speed.