Investigation underway after 10-year-old boy flies off water slide
A giant water slide at a brand new park in Dublin, California, was closed for the holiday. An investigation is underway after a 10-year-old boy flew off the slide on Saturday.
Video provided by the East Bay Times shows that just seconds after plummeting down the Emerald Plunge, the boy's body hit the pavement like a rag doll -- just barely missing his head -- avoiding what could have been a tragic event.
Amazingly, he was able to get up and walk away with minor cuts and bruises.
The ride has since been shut down until further notice.
"Whenever we have an incident, no matter what magnitude, where someone gets injured we will shut the slide down and make sure that the slide is operating safely," city parks director Jim Rodems said.
The Wave, a multi-million dollar water park owned and operated by the city of Dublin, had just opened for business this holiday weekend.
It was another wake-up call for millions of visitors who flock to water parks this time of year.
Sadly, in a different incident last year, 10-year-old Caleb Schwab was killed instantly at a water park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Schwab, the son of a state legislator, was riding what's considered the tallest slide in the world: The Verrukt, which was 17 stories high.
The ride was delayed twice for safety concerns.
Video exists that shows the giant slide being tested where rafts were flying off the chute into the air.
Twenty states have government oversight over amusement and water parks, while nine have none at all.
Ken Martin is an amusement park safety consultant who spoke with CBS News.
"It just reinforces my feelings and my strength that we need to provide more oversight and inspections and do what is right, not necessarily what is cost effective," Martin said. "We need to spare no money in developing regulations that are consistent across all 50 states. There is absolutely no excuse or reason why a 10-year-old child should be ejected from a water slide."
State inspectors were at the water park Monday to determine exactly what went wrong. The Emerald Plunge and two other water slides are closed until further notice.
