Carowinds has temporarily shut down its Fury 325 roller coaster after a large crack developed in one of its support pillars.
Video of the defect on the 325-foot-tall coaster circulated on social media Friday night. The footage was originally posted by a park guest named Jeremy Wagner.
Fury 325 at Carowinds, has now been shut down thanks to a visitor who spotted this massive crack in the support beam. Huge shout out to Jeremy Wagner for getting the video and telling Carowinds about it. #wcnc pic.twitter.com/vqJU2J0upL
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) July 1, 2023
Brad Panovich, meteorologist at Charlotte, North Carolina TV station WCNC, later posted another image from an unnamed viewer showing that the crack appeared to have been present on Thursday.
A viewer just send me a screen grab of a video from yesterday, and the crack was there but smaller. She didn’t notice at the time but went back to check her video after seeing this. pic.twitter.com/l544GJHpwx
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) July 1, 2023
Courtney Weber, spokesperson for the Charlotte, North Carolina, park, said in a statement to Theme Park Tribune:
“Carowinds today closed Fury 325 after park personnel became aware of a crack at the top of a steel support pillar. The park’s maintenance team is conducting a thorough inspection and the ride will remain closed until repairs have been completed. Safety is our top priority and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our valued guests during this process. As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”
Fury 325 is the tallest coaster in the world with a lift hill, hitting a top speed of 95 miles per hour along its 6,602 feet of track. The coaster was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Swiss firm behind rides such as Mako at SeaWorld Orlando and the many Batman: The Ride clones across the Six Flags chain.
Since opening in 2015, Fury 325 has consistently been touted by coaster enthusiasts as among the best coasters in the world. It has been voted the best steel roller coaster in Amusement Today magazine’s Golden Ticket Awards every year since 2016.