"It was terrifying:" Two workers, one rider hurt after incident at amusement park in Green Bay

GREEN BAY -- Three people were taken to the hospital after an incident at Bay Beach Amusement Park Monday, June 20th.

Officials with the Green Bay Fire Department said it happened when one of the trains on the Zippin Pippin roller-coaster ran into the other.

Those who got hurt suffered minor injuries, and the ride was closed.

WLUK spoke with a witness, who said it looked like the train car with riders was coming in at full speed when it slammed into an empty car, which then appeared to hit two workers who were standing in front of it.

 

City parks director Dawne Cramer said she expects the Zippin Pippin to be closed for a minimum of one week. There is damage to the car that was hit that will need to be repaired.

Those on the ride and those waiting for it said a normal day at the park changed very quickly.

 

"It was terrifying. I'm there with my six-year-old daughter waiting to go on and people were horrified. You saw people instantly crying and reacting. They were obviously startled and who knows how badly hurt when the impact occurred," Justin Hoelscher said.

 

"My neck like tweaked and is now kind of a little sore. It was more of a shock than pain, I guess," Jonathan Walsten said.

Cramer said state investigators will have to come in and review what happened. She said the state investigated the roller-coaster before the park opened for the season, and Bay Beach workers inspect it daily.

Parks officials believe this is the first injury incident on the Zippin Pippin since it opened five years ago.