KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A couple said they had to hold another passenger in her seat on a roller coaster when her seat belt came undone.
Chris and Cassie Evins were at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, when they heard a girl screaming behind them as they rode the Mamba last month. They told KCTV that the girl’s seatbelt came undone on the first hill.
But it wasn’t the normal screams of fun, Chris Evins explained.
“We get on the roller coaster and the very first hill, the girl sitting behind my wife just lets out this blood-curdling scream like I’ve never heard before,” Chris Evins told KCTV. “I assumed it was her first time on the ride and then she said my seatbelt came undone.”
Chris and Cassie did what they could to keep the girl and her friend in the seat for the rest of the ride, KMBC reported.
“I had looped my arm underneath her lap bar, which had a pretty big gap between her and the lap bar. So at this point, I’m seeing a huge space, no seatbelt. I looped my arm underneath the lap bar, and I grabbed a hold of her wrist. My wife was pushing down on her legs,” Chris Evins explained.
Luckily, they have ridden the coaster several times since they are season ticket holders and could anticipate the twists and turns.
Cassie Evins told KMBC, the girls were crying the entire ride, “72 miles an hour, holding onto somebody. It’s terrifying.”
The day after the Evins had their terrifying ride, a mother yelled that her son’s seat belt didn’t latch before the train went up the hill. The ride stopped and the seat belt, which, according to the mother, was twisted and loose, was adjusted, KMBC reported.
Worlds of Fun is operated by Six Flags. A company spokesperson told KMBC shortly after the incident, “The safety of our guests and team members is a top priority. Following the report of a guest concern on the ride earlier this month, our team immediately closed the ride and completed a thorough inspection before reopening it that evening. The ride is equipped with a multi-layered restraint system, and it has operated safely since the initial concern was raised.”
“The ride has undergone a comprehensive safety review, and we have implemented modifications requested by the Fire Marshall to ensure it meets or exceeds all applicable safety standards before it reopens to guests this evening,” the spokesperson said.
Six Flags later told the news station, “the seat belt buckles were functioning, but out of an abundance of caution, 18 units have been replaced.”
The inspection found that some of the seat belts on the coaster were “worn” and “not locking.” No other issues were noted, KMBC reported.