Local

Channel 9 confirms second break in Carowinds’ Fury 325

CHARLOTTE — A second break on Carowinds’ popular giga coaster Fury 325 has been discovered.

Channel 9 began investigating a tip Thursday that there may be a second crack in Carowinds’ popular giga coaster Fury 325, but park officials wouldn’t confirm or deny whether that’s the case.

On Friday, the North Carolina Department of Labor confirmed that they were notified of a “weld indication,” which the department said “could be either a break or crack.”

It’s been weeks since Carowinds replaced a support beam that had become detached from the Fury’s track. Park inspectors have conducted test rides, but the Department of Labor still hasn’t given the official approval to reopen.

READ OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE BELOW:

Channel 9′s Joe Bruno spent all day Thursday trying to get answers from Carowinds. We asked a simple question: “Is there a second crack on Fury?”

We also reached out to the Department of Labor to ask about a possible second crack. The department oversees amusement park rides in North Carolina and has been overseeing the response to Fury.

A Department of Labor spokesperson pointed Bruno back to Carowinds on Thursday and said their investigation is ongoing. Bruno asked if their investigation involves a second crack, and was again told, “The investigation is ongoing.”

Carowinds sent a lengthy statement saying, “It is not uncommon during full maintenance reviews to discover slight weld indications in various locations of a steel superstructure.”

We asked if that meant a second crack was discovered, but the spokesperson just referred us back to the original statement.

Then we asked the Department of Labor if Carowinds’ statement means a second crack was discovered.

On Friday, the department confirmed the weld indication. A department spokesperson said no certification of operation has been issued, and they don’t have a timeline for when one will be issued.

We’re still digging for answers as Fury 325 remains closed. Keep updated with Channel 9.

(WATCH: Carowinds running tests on Fury 325 before reopening to riders)

0