ORLANDO, Fla., July 13, 2005
Heart Attack At Disney World
16-Year-Old Collapsed After 'Twilight Zone' Ride; Cause Not Known
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Play CBS Video Video Heart Attack After Disney Ride A British teen went into cardiac arrest after a thrill ride at Disney World. The 16-year-old had just gotten off the ride when she began feeling lightheaded. Her heart then stopped beating.
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"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" (above) has been closed down until more is known about what caused a heart attack suffered by a rider. (AP (file))
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Interactive Safe Rides State-by-state amusement park ride inspection rules.
Leanne Deacon of Kibworth, Leicestershire, felt strange but told her mother she'd quickly recover after exiting Disney World-MGM Studios' "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror," which depicts a haunted plunging elevator ride, said Jim Solomons, an Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman, on Tuesday. However, Solomons said the girl's condition deteriorated so rapidly that her heart stopped beating and she had to be resuscitated by emergency workers.
Leanne is in critical condition and was transferred Tuesday night from Florida Hospital Celebration Health to the facility's main campus at Florida Hospital Orlando, about 20 miles away, according to hospital spokesman David Oakley.
Solomons said the teenager was seen by a neurosurgeon to determine what caused her injuries. Solomons said no other passengers have complained of injuries, and "we're satisfied that everything seemed to function OK on the ride."
Disney said in a written statement that the ride has been shut down until more information is available.
"Our concern is for the family and we are working with them to provide whatever assistance they need," the statement said.
Disney officials declined further comment.
On the Tower of Terror, which depicts a haunted hotel, riders are placed in an elevator, which shoots up 13 stories and then plummets back twice.
Two people have died at Disney World this year. A 4-year-old Pennsylvania boy, Daudi Bamuwamye, died June 13 after riding Epcot's "Mission: Space" and a 77-year-old Minnesota woman, Gloria Land, died in February after riding the Magic Kingdom's "Pirates of the Caribbean."
A medical examiner's report said Land was in poor health from diabetes and several ministrokes and her death "was not unexpected." The cause of the boy's death remains under investigation.
Florida's major theme parks are not directly regulated by the state, and instead have their own inspectors.
By Travis Reed ©MMV The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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