Volume 1, No. 7. May 4, 2001
Phantasialand survives coaster fire
[REVISED: 8:35 am May 4]
The police director in Koln, Germany, was quoted as saying "We just barely avoided a catastrophe" in the wake of a fire that reportedly started on a roller coaster and swept through a section of Phantasialand Theme Park in nearby Bruehl, injuring 63 people, none seriously. That the blaze did not in fact become a major catastrophe testifies again to the overall safety record of the industry and the apparent diligence and response of Phantasialand staff and the region’s emergency response officials.
When you look at pictures of the event (a series of photographs are at http://www.phantaweb.de/n18.html) you can see what a major conflagration it was, a blaze that took more than two hours to extinguish by about 430 area firefighters. The fire destroyed two Schwarzkopf coasters, the Gebirgsbahn (Mountain coaster) and Grand Canyon Bahn, a family coaster, both sharing a synthetic mountain setting that resembled the scenic railways of the early 20th century. Also lost was the neighboring Tanagra Theater and portions of Silver City, a Western-themed area. Total damage has been estimated at DM 30 million (US$14 million), said Rob Knoedl, Phantasialand's sales and marketing manager.
The fire broke out around 13:40 on the Grand Canyon Bahn as 20,000 people were enjoying a sunny May Day holiday at the park. Of the injured, only four were reported admitted to hospitals. Though early news reports quoted guests describing panic among the crowds escaping "burning debris raining down," later reports and sources indicated the evacuation was orderly and expertly handled. Knoedl said the guests "departed the tragic scene and the park very quickly, which was very encouraging." He quoted the park's managing director, Robert Loffelhardt, saying "A huge thank you goes out to our guests who did not panic in this situation and acted promptly in a safe manner." The park immediately set up a hotline phone number which received more than 400 calls, Knoedl said, and a separate room for "worried relatives." By 23:00 hours that night, all guests and staff had been accounted for and reunited with families.
Investigators began looking into the cause of the fire Wednesday morning, and their report is expected on Monday, Knoedl said. Press reports said the fire was first spotted on a security camera, and the roller coaster’s emergency brakes automatically activated. Passengers were then evacuated via ladders. One of the trains, a charred ruin, was still sitting atop the coaster track after the fire (visible in the photographs).
Both roller coasters will be torn down. The park will try to re-open to the public next weekend at a reduced admission price.
(This story will update with new information until the next edition of THE LOOP.)
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