MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A ride malfunction was captured on cellphone video Sunday at the annual Miami-Dade County Youth Fair.
The video shows the moment the ride called 1001 Nachts experienced the mechanical issue while in use as one of the ride poles was unscrewed from its place.
According to North American Midway Entertainment, the Youth Fair’s ride provider, the ride operators quickly stopped the ride before things could get worse.
“Yesterday, on March 24th, 2024, during operation of the 1001 Nachts Amusement ride, the ride experienced a non-structural, mechanical issue. In response, the ride operator promptly initiated the emergency stop procedure, bringing the ride to a halt in accordance with established safety protocols,” North American Midway Entertainment said in an updated statement Monday.
A spokesperson for the company said no injuries were reported and representatives from North American Midway Entertainment, the operators of nearly 90 rides at the fair, stated that the incident was handled in the best possible manner.
“Following this incident, the ride will undergo repairs and will be subjected to thorough inspection by the State of Florida ride inspectors before resuming operations,” the statement continued. “A timeline of when the repairs and inspection will take place is unknown at this time.”
Mary Ocano, who visits the fair annually, told Local 10 News that while rides breaking mid-ride isn’t normal, maintenance is key.
“Our car breaks down, our phones break down, things break down — they just got to make sure they maintain it. You can tell they have it closed,” she said.
An inspection report from 2023 noted missing rivets on the floor of the 1001 Nachts. There’s no word on how long it’ll take for the new parts to arrive, repairs to be completed and the ride to pass recertification inspection.
The fair will be open through April 7.
Local 10 News obtained the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 2023 inspection report Monday afternoon, which you can read here: