WA amusement ride topples; 6 sent to hospitals

An amusement ride for young children toppled over at the Puyallup, Wash., Spring Fair, and officials say five children and one adult were sent to hospitals.

Fair spokeswoman Karen LaFlamme says 14 children and two adults were aboard the ride when it tipped over Friday evening. She says one child suffered a leg injury.

Spokeswomen at Good Samaritan Hospital, which received one child and an adult, and Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, which received four children, said privacy regulations prevented them from discussing injuries or conditions.

Several other children were treated at the scene for bumps and scrapes.

The Lolli Swing ride in Kiddyland, the children's section of the fair, toppled at about 6:40 p.m. Friday. The ride has swing-type seats that rotate around a central pillar, and has operated at the fair for the past five years.

LaFlamme says the ride passed an inspection Wednesday by the state Department of Labor & Industries.

An investigation is under way. LaFlamme says it's possible rain-soaked ground under the ride contributed to the accident.