On 24 February 2012, 14-year-old Gabriela Yukari Nichimura died after falling from the La Tour Eiffel drop tower at the Hopi Hari amusement park in Vinhedo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Hopi Hari reports that around 10:20 am today there was an accident involving a 14-year-old visitor who was in the La Tour Eiffel tower. The visitor was rescued and taken to Paulo Sacramento Hospital in the city of Jundiaí, where she died. After the accident, the park decided to end its activities for the day. Hopi Hari reopens tomorrow, Saturday, from 10 am to 7 pm. La Tour Eiffel will remain closed until the causes of the accident are clarified. The review of the ride is carried out by the Technical Police, which will investigate the hypotheses of the accident. The park deeply regrets what happened, [and] is providing all assistance to the victim's family and supporting the bodies responsible for investigating the causes of the accident.
Hopi Hari, Facebook post from the day of the accident
Incident
editNichimura's chair lock opened[1][2][3] at about 66 feet (20 meters) in the air.[4] The chair had been unused for 10 years, due to the seat's location where a person could bump into the metal frame of the drop tower, and the absence of a seat belt.[5]
La Tour Eiffel
editThe drop tower initially opened, along with the park itself, on 30 November 1999.[6] The tower allows participants enter into free fall from a height of 69.5 meters, or 228 feet (the equivalent of a 23-story building) at a speed of approximately 94 km/h (58.41 mph).[1][2]
Aftermath and investigation
editThe park closed hours after the accident. A full review of all rides began on 2 March of that year.[5] Upon completion of the review and the signing of a Conduct Adjustment Term (CAT), the park was reopened on 25 March 2012, but the tower remained closed.[7]
At the time, Nichimura's family planned to sue the park for material and emotional damage,[8] and asked for R$ 4 million in compensation from Hopi Hari and R$ 1 million from Vinhedo City Hall.[9]
On 9 May 2012, the Public Prosecution Service indicted 12 people for the accident, including then-president of the park Armando Pereira Filho.[10] The park attempted to reach a deal with the family.[11]
In 2017, three employees were convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to two years and eight months of community service and the payment of a minimum wage for a social entity. Another five employees were acquitted. The family and the park came to an undisclosed agreement.[12][4][13]
On 18 May 2017, the Supreme Federal Court discontinued a lawsuit against former park President Armando Pereira Filho. The family received therapy in the aftermath of the incident.[13]
Reopening
editAfter changes in the drop tower,[14] it was estimated to be back in August 2019,[15][16] but in June 2019 the management decided against its reopening, due to the need for US$480,000 to recover the equipment and the realization of marketing.[17]
References
edit- ^ a b Balza, Guilherme; Melo, Débora (February 24, 2012). "Testemunhas relatam que adolescente morta no Hopi Hari caiu após trava de brinquedo abrir" [Witnesses report that teenager killed in Hopi Hari crashed after elevator lock opens]. UOL. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ a b "Adolescente morre após acidente em parque de diversões no interior de SP" [Teen dies after accident in amusement park in SP]. G1. February 24, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ "'Horrível', diz testemunha sobre morte de garota em parque de SP" ['Horrible' says witness about death of girl in SP park]. G1. February 4, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ a b "Hopi Hari fecha acordo com família de estudante morta" [Hopi Hari strikes deal with dead student family]. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "Hopi Hari diz que cadeira utilizada por menina estava interditada havia dez anos" [Hopi Hari says chair used by girl had been banned for ten years]. iG. March 1, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ ""Disney brasileira" custou 260 milhões" ["Brazilian Disney" cost 260 million]. Jornal do Comércio (RJ) (in Brazilian Portuguese). 1999. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ Calado, Fabrício (March 25, 2012). "Brinquedo em que adolescente morreu atrai curiosos na reabertura do Hopi Hari" [Toy in which teenager died attracts onlookers at the reopening of Hopi Hari]. UOL. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ "Família de menina morta em parque irá processar Hopi Hari, diz advogado" [Dead girl family in park will sue Hopi Hari, lawyer says]. February 29, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Família dobra pedido de indenização ao Hopi Hari por morte de Gabriela" [Family doubles Hopi Hari compensation claim for Gabriela's death]. June 6, 2012. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Promotoria denuncia 12 à Justiça por morte de adolescente no Hopi Hari" [Prosecution charges 12 to court for death of teenager at Hopi Hari]. May 9, 2012. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Pai de Gabriela diz que recebeu 'com muita alegria' as 12 denúncias do MP" [Gabriela's father says he received 'with great joy' the 12 complaints from the MP]. May 9, 2012. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Justiça condena 3 funcionários por morte de menina no Hopi Hari" [Justice condemns 3 staff for death of girl at Hopi Hari]. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "STF arquiva ação contra ex-presidente do Hopi Hari por morte na "La Tour Eiffel"" [Supreme Federal Court discontinue lawsuit against former Hopi Hari president for death at "La Tour Eiffel"]. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Estrutura do 'La Tour Eiffel', no Hopi Hari, terá que ser modificada" [La Tour Eiffel's structure at Hopi Hari will have to be modified]. G1. March 23, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ "Hopi Hari vai recolocar em operação brinquedo que teve acidente com morte" [Hopi Hari will reopen toy operation that had accident with death]. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Hopi Hari prevê reativar 'La Tour Eiffel' e diz tentar acordo com BNDS para evitar leilão de bens" [Hopi Hari Predicts Reactivate 'La Tour Eiffel' and Says Trying Deal with BNDS to Avoid Goods Auction]. February 18, 2019. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Nova gestão do Hopi Hari descarta reabrir Torre Eiffel" [New Hopi Hari management discard reopening Eiffel Tower]. June 27, 2019. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
Notes
edit- 1.^ Hours in UTC-2 (Daylight saving time).