NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A fair ride operator has received permission to renew running its rides at Tennessee fairs — other than a Ferris wheel that dropped three girls to the ground.
The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced the decision late Friday to allow Family Attractions Amusement to resume operations.
Inspectors hired by the company and the Greene County Fair found that rivets on the gondola carrying the girls had come loose. That caused the bottom plate to drop down and catch on the frame of the Ferris wheel and tip the girls out.
The Ferris wheel, which inspectors say was correctly assembled at the site, is being sent back to the manufacturer.
Six-year-old Briley Jae Reynolds remains in critical condition, while two other girls have been released from the hospital.
