Society

Amusement park accident leaves six dead, ten injured in S China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-30 03:43

SHENZHEN - Six people were confirmed dead and at least ten others injured, five in serious conditions, Tuesday in an accident at an amusement park in Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province, local government said early Wednesday at a press briefing.

Two women and one man out of the six dead people had been identified, according to the government of Yantian district, home to the park.

The accident happened at 4:45 p.m. after an entertainment facility that simulates conditions in a launching rocket for passengers to experience doubled gravity malfunctioned in the park, the Overseas Chinese Town East (OCT East).

But the nature of the accident remained sketchy. Xiao Wenhong, a publicity official with the Yantian district committee of the Communist Party of China, only said the cause of the accident was under investigation.

Part of the park will be closed Wednesday for safety checks of all facilities.

The government of Shenzhen had ordered an safety inspection of entertainment facilities in the city. In the meantime, the city's technical supervision authorities had arrived at the accident scene which  was cordoned for investigation.

Journalists were blocked from approaching the scene of the accident.

The facility with 11 cabins, each of which can accommodate four people, suffered a power cut when the accident happened, said a patron surnamed Zhang, who escaped without hurt.

"There was a power cut when the accident happened, and I smelt something burnt. We managed to open the door to escape before firefighters arrived to rescue others," said Zhang.

"I heard a bang and then lost consciousness," said another patron, surnamed Chang, at the Yantian District People's Hospital where the injured people were treated.

Chang, from central province of Henan, suffered fracture of her right hand and left leg.

A Xinhua reporter saw at least two persons who suffered craniocerebral injuries were sent to the hospital.

Family members of those killed or injured were seen gathering at the Meisha People's Hospital, one of the three hospitals treating the injured.

They were demanding the name list of those killed or injured as well as the information of the condition and treatment of their relatives.

An local community official, surnamed Zhong, told the family members that the government would immediately release available specific information.

The OCT East, covering an area of 9 square km, was operated by the OCT Enterprises Co, a large state-owned enterprise in real estate and hotel development, tourism and electronic manufacturing.