BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS Boy, 3, injured...

BRIEFLY IN

THE NEWS

Boy, 3, injured after climbing off ride

In another ride-related injury, a 3-year-old boy climbed out of a

moving ride at the Orange County Fair on Saturday, sustaining minor

bruises, the fair reported.

The boy and his sister were seated in the Up, Up & Away ride when,

at about 4:15 p.m., the ride began to move and the boy slipped out of

the ride’s restraining harness, climbing out of it and falling 3 feet

to the grass below.

The ride operator hit the stop button, but the next car “clipped”

the boy before it came to a stop, fair officials said.

On-site emergency medical technicians responded minutes after the

incident and treated the boy for minor bruises.

Through inspection, it was found that the child’s belt restraint

was still buckled and the ride’s door was still latched. Because the

injury did not require treatment beyond first aid and was not caused

by ride or operator error, it was not required to be reported to the

state’s Division of Safety and Health.

In all, fair spokeswoman Pam Highwart, said, “there were 14 first

aid reports” as of Friday. She said some of the reports were as minor

as dispensing bandages, aspirin or antacids.