TOKYO - A female maintenance worker was killed after becoming trapped in amusement ride equipment at Tokyo Dome City, with investigators finding that no one was operating the control panel at the time of the accident.
Emergency services received a 119 call shortly after 11:50 a.m. on April 21 reporting that a person had been caught in amusement equipment at Tokyo Dome City Attractions in Bunkyo Ward's Korakuen district.
The victim was identified as Hina Uemura, 24. She had been inspecting a support pillar of the outdoor attraction known as 'Flying Balloon,' where seats move vertically.
According to investigative sources, Uemura was standing on a stepladder checking the pillar when a seat section that had been fixed above her suddenly fell, trapping her body.
Firefighters partially dismantled the ride to secure space for rescue operations. About five hours after the accident, at around 5 p.m., she was freed from the machinery.
Uemura was transported to hospital in cardiopulmonary arrest and was later confirmed dead.
Investigators have since determined that no one was operating the control panel that controls the movement of the fallen seat section when the accident occurred.
The Metropolitan Police Department began an on-site inspection on the morning of April 22 and is investigating what caused the ride to drop.
In response, Tokyo Dome City Attractions said it would close temporarily on April 21 and suspend operations indefinitely from April 22 onward.
Source: FNN
