A ride has reopened at a Vancouver amusement park after it malfunctioned and showered fairgoers with oil earlier this month.
The pendulum-style ride at Playland known as the Beast was stopped mid-August after witnesses reported seeing oil spilling as it swung.
After investigating the incident, a spokesperson for the fair said a part in the gear box had broken. That part has now been replaced and the ride has since passed all safety inspections, the spokesperson said.
The ride had broken down just days before the annual Pacific National Exhibition opened. No one was injured when the ride appeared to start leaking oil onto those inside and below, but witnesses said their clothing was soaked by the spill.
Irene Morrison was watching from the ground as her son and nephew swung and spun back and forth to a height of over 125 feet, at speeds of 90 km/h, when she knew something had gone wrong.
"I knew right away something was wrong, because my son has been on the Beast many times, and it doesn't sound like that," Morrison said. "It was absolute terror for my sister and I to watch."
In July 2017, the Beast was also temporarily shut down and inspected following an incident in the U.S.
The Fireball, a similar style ride, suffered a structural failure at the Ohio State Fair. A teenager died and seven others were injured. Playland inspected the Beast only as a precaution.
"Playland has an exceptional safety record which we are proud of," Playland said in a statement following the Aug. 12 incident. "In Playland all of our rides are inspected annually by Technical Safety BC and external third party safety consultants. Additionally, each ride at Playland is inspected daily prior to opening. The safety of our guests is our number one priority."
With files from CTV News Vancouver's David Molko and Kendra Mangione
