A five-year-old boy was badly injured after "flying out" of a water slide and falling several feet to the ground at a Georgia amusement park, the park authorities said. The child was riding in a double tube at Lake Winnepesaukah amusement park, located near the Georgia-Tennessee border when the injury occurred, a spokesperson from the park told Fox News Digital.
John Pless, a spokesperson for Catoosa County, where the park is situated, said that the child fell around 15 to 20 feet from the slide. A park visitor informed WZTV that she witnessed the boy "fly out" of the green and yellow water slide.
Horror Ride
Ginger Bence, another witness, reported hearing several employees blowing whistles, which she presumed to be part of the park's safety protocol when someone gets injured, as per the news outlet.
"I don't think I'll ever forget it," Bence said. "I thought, 'Is he alive?'"
The child received initial treatment at the scene and was subsequently transported to the Children's Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as confirmed by John Pless. The exact condition and extent of the child's injuries were unknown.
Another park visitor told WZTV that she saw the boy "fly out" of the green and yellow water slide.
Almost Killed
According to preliminary reports, the child has been badly injured and is being treated at the Children's Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga. However, the child was conscious while receiving emergency medical treatment.
According to dispatchers, the boy was experiencing pain throughout his body. WJCL reported that he had lacerations on his leg and was experiencing back pain.
In response to the incident, the Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Division are conducting an investigation into the matter.
"We have an inspector on the scene there today, but it is too early in our investigation to release any preliminary findings," an agency spokesperson said Thursday.
"We will most likely release a final report in the next few days."
The park informed Fox News Digital that state inspectors conducted an examination of the Twist-N-Shout water ride, which included inspecting the rider tubes, the ride foundation, and the signage. After completing the inspection, the ride was reopened.
"Lake Winnepesaukah is a family amusement park that prides itself on a safe, welcome atmosphere," the park said.
The incident comes just days after a 6-year-old boy narrowly escaped death after he plummeted almost 40 feet after his zipline harness broke at a Mexican amusement park. A harrowing video of the incident captured the moment the harness broke off with the boy falling onto the water located below, as onlookers watched in shock.
The terrifying incident that left several people shocked happened at Parque Fundidora's Amazonian Expedition in Nuevo León. The family members of the boy shared on Facebook that his harness broke suddenly, leading to his fall into an artificial pool located below the zip line attraction, Fox News reported.
