OSHA investigating after man falls to his death while working on StarFlyer attraction
ORLANDO, Fla. - A man fell to his death while working on the StarFlyer ride along Orlando's International Drive tourism district.
“They were doing their daily safety inspection which is conducted every day. That’s when the accident occurred,” said Jacob Stine, the marketing manager for the attraction. “We have an ongoing investigation right now to determine exactly what happened.”
A spokesperson for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) confirmed to FOX 35 News that they are investigating as well.
RELATED: Worker dies after falling off StarFlyer attraction on International Drive, officials say
Orange County Fire Rescue (OCFR) was called out the Orlando StarFlyer at 7:39 a.m. on Monday for what was described as an industrial accident. A spokesperson for OCFR said the caller reported that his colleague, identified as 21-year-old Jacob David Kaminsky, had fallen 50 to 60 feet to an internal platform. A 911 call on the incident was released Tuesday.
Firefighters rushed up and began performing CPR on the victim until a platform truck arrived to help get him down.
“We’re very saddened by this situation. This event. We’re all there for each other,” Stine said.
The ride stands 450 feet tall and is advertised as the world’s tallest swing ride.
RELATED: StarFlyer officially opens on International Drive
Alisa Madison is visiting from Tallahassee, staying at a hotel near the attraction. She wanted to take her sons to check out the Orlando StarFlyer and expressed shock over the news.
“My question is, did the young man who passed away have a harness on? And, was anyone spotting him?” she asked.
Stine told FOX 35 News that those are questions he cannot answer right now. He did say that there are “quite a few redundancies" in their safety procedures and that they’re very thorough.
“It’s unfortunate a young man had to pass away,” Madison said.
According to state records, the Orlando StarFlyer attraction has been permitted since 2018. The Florida Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fair Rides Inspections finds no record of any incidents or violations regarding the Starflyer since it was permitted in 2018. That department noted that there was one notice of deficiencies issued in 2018 on a communication monitoring system, which was corrected.
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