The start of the Oktoberfest in the southern German city of Munich next Saturday has been overshadowed by a tragic accident after a worker was fatally injured during a test ride on the Olympia Looping roller-coaster.
The fire brigade in the southern city of Munich, which hosts the world-famous folk festival every year, said a 20-year-old was hit by a wagon at full speed and left seriously injured under the rails.
The worker was treated at the Oktoberfest site in the Bavarian capital, it said.
Emergency services carried out resuscitation measures on the way to hospital, where the man died.
The operator of the affected ride, Otto Barth, said he was "deeply shaken" by the accident. He stated that the entire team was in shock. "My deepest condolences go to the family and friends of the deceased."
He said he could not explain how the accident happened, adding that he was in close contact with the authorities and was supporting the experts who are trying to clarify the exact circumstances of the accident.
Final preparations before start of 2024 event
Final preparations are currently under way on the festival grounds, with the 189th Oktoberfest set to begin on Saturday.
Police are investigating the circumstances of the accident, a spokesman said, while employees are receiving support from a crisis intervention team.
It was initially unclear why the man was so close to the tracks that the train could hit him.
Employees from the police department responsible for industrial accidents have gone to the accident site, said the police.
Germany's TÜV safety standards watchdog and certification authority is also on site and is examining the incident, however a fire brigade spokesman said the accident had nothing to do with the operational safety of the ride: "This is a pure work accident that happened during the set-up phase."
Fatal accident a year and a half ago
Just a year and a half ago, at the end of March 2022, a young woman was fatally injured on the same roller-coaster in Vienna's Prater amusement park. The employee walked under the tracks of the ride and was hit by an approaching carriage, the Vienna police said at the time. It was further stated that she had been in a restricted area she was not supposed to be in.
The Olympia Looping was opened at the Oktoberfest in 1989 and, with 1,250 metres of track, is considered the largest transportable roller-coaster in the world. The five loops are arranged like the Olympic rings. The ride is one of the attractions of the festival and reaches speeds of up to 90 kilometres per hour.
Shock among colleagues
A spokeswoman for the funfair operators, Yvonne Heckl, said she was in shock.
She described the incident as "news that pulls the ground out from under your feet – a drama for the family, the operator and everyone else involved."
She mentioned that fairground colleagues empathize with the relatives and those affected. "We are one big Wiesn family," said Heckl, using a local nickname for the Oktoberfest.
Peter Bausch, chairman of the Munich Funfair Operator Association, also reacted with dismay: "It is a tragic accident. That a young person has died is the most terrible thing."
High safety standards
Heckl also pointed to the meticulous preparations and high safety requirements at the Oktoberfest.
"In general, we have the highest safety standards, but there is no such thing as complete safety – we must not be deceived," said the spokeswoman for the funfair operators.
Before the start of the festival, the rides are thoroughly inspected, with the TÜV regularly on site.
Nevertheless, incidents still occur from time to time at rides or during the set-up and dismantling of the Wiesn. Last year, a worker was injured after the festival when he fell 5 metres while dismantling a ride.
Last year, on the first day of the festival, there was an accident on another roller-coaster, although it passed off without serious consequences. Some passengers sustained minor injuries when a moving train slowly rolled back into a stationary one.
In 2023, some 7.2 million guests attended the Oktoberfest, considered the largest folk festival in the world, which features beer tents and fun rides. Up to 6 million visitors are expected at this year's festival, which runs until October 6.
Local News
Comments / 0