Death by crushing must be one of the most agonizing ways to die. The idea of this fun ride turning into a meat grinder seconds after they were all laughing and having fun is terrifying. Straight out of final destination.
I live close to this theme park, & had a friend in the ambulance service who attended that day. The ambos described the scene as "injuries incompatible with life," which is a chilling phrase indeed. There are very few injuries in this category; other examples are decapitation or total bisection. This park was notorious for its singular focus on profit, with underpaid & undertrained workers.
I'm going to read up on that term. A wide variety of catastrophic injuries could possibly fit. I wonder if the term excludes things like one's body being kept alive by machines. I feel that it must for the term to have any useful meaning.
@@hideousruin there bodies couldn't even have been kept alive by machines. They were smooshed in between the chains and slats. One of the seats had the whole top of it crushed off so god help the person who was in that seat buckled in. I know this because I used to work for the insurer who handled their liability claim. The claim was very VERY sensitive and details were kept private so the staff there wouldn't also have to make trauma claims. But my manager basically told me they were smooshed.
I was injured on a water slide at dreamworld in the 80’s. My heel was cut open. I was given a bandaid and sent on my way. Mum took one look and off to the Doctor we went. The Doctor said it was a fraction away from ripping the tendon and I had to have stitches. It’s only in later life that I realised the severity of my injury.
Damn, I'm sorry! When I was a kid, I was in a water park in Finland. I rode a rapid waters-type waterslide where you're supposed to be on one of those big donuts. Well, I fell out of mine, perhaps I was so light that it flipped over more easily. I couldn't get in it anymore, so I had to slide down with my body against the strangely rough surface. It cut me up so bad. They were only surface nicks, but they were everywhere, I was bleeding. It was a painful ride down and you can believe that I started crying and ran to my mom after. I don't understand why the surface wasn't more smooth - sure, it was for the donuts, but it's not exactly inconceivable that a person would fall out. I trust water parks way less than amusement parks, which are usually very safe (can't speak for Dreamworld, obviously). Carnival rides are the worst though, most of the accidents you see and hear about (like parts falling off or a ride literally about to fall over from the momentum) are from carnival rides, especially in countries with lax regulations (and yes the US is one of those, wouldn't be surprised about Australia either). Remember, they have to take apart and reassemble the rides constantly, and they can't be tethered down fully.
Was there 6 days before this happened. I literally was on that ride 3 times with my husband and 4 year old. A lady from England was scared and said she hated rides. I said "I've been riding this ride since I was 5. It's totally safe" However, we notice when we were there a TOTAL lack of staff everywhere and one employee was running ALL system checks, safety and operating the rides. I had to ask a female employee who was completely off with the fairies how we should balance our weight on the log ride. She totally didn't care. This is so tragic. I'll never ever go back. I don't care how safe they say they are. I'll never go back out of principal for those people who tragically lost their life on a safe, family ride and the total lack of regard for safety of the public by the company who ran the park. When I was a little kid, I can clearly remember there was at least 5 staff working this ride. When we were there just prior to this incident, I think I saw 1. Operating the ride AND helping guests hop on and off the ride.
Still heartbroken by this. I went to school with Roozi, an awesome guy who went through a few tough times and blossomed into a beautiful life. His partner, Luke and Luke’s sister, Kate both lost their lives, which was horrendous for their families. Much love to all, including Cindy and her loved ones. I hope you continue to shine brightly. x
Also, when something has been running relatively well for a long time, some bosses and managers forget how important training is. They just need the schedules filled.
@@suzannenichols6900 Air conditioner tradesmen refused to work in the attic of the school where I had worked because of asbestos. My foreman told them it had been tested and was not asbestos and they went back to work. I repeatedly said it was asbestos and the issue should be looked at but was ignored. I sent away a sample to be tested. It came back positive. The boss said I was undermining my foreman by taking it upon myself to have it tested. That issue was one of the main reasons listed for my sacking.
Pretty common in many different jobs but normally less lethal in an office for example. If you stick your neck out don't be surprised if your boss comes for your head.
I agree with the analysis, and oh, those poor people. I would add that if there's a machine/situation that can go that wrong, that quickly, there should probably be one person whose sole job is to monitor the rafts and hit the stop button immediately when needed. Having one person responsible for both monitoring the ride and helping passengers disembark AND being available to hit the emergency button seems like a recipe for disaster.
I live near Dreamworld, and since a teenager, I have gone to this park more times to count. Including the rapid ride. I will never forget this event, and Dreamworld has never been the same since. I've never returned to Dreamworld after this horrific event. Driving past the park is just sad.
Agree. I have never returned after this incident and even though the ride has been dismantled and the area cleared each time I drive past Dreamworld I am still haunted by the events that took place that day. 😢
Water rides are always my favorite, but I'll admit they always terrified me when you see gears, rollers, pumps, and all manners of hazards just a few inches below the water level at points.
Creepier than those awful swimming pools that whales were kept in at “Sea World” type parks. Nothing quite as dreamy as chain link gates submerged under 20 feet of pool water with pissed off Orca’s circling on the other side.
The only good aspect is that the two children survived. But if you think the first responders were traumatized, it must be so much worse for them. They either directly witnessed or were at least very near their mothers being mangled to death.
@@SueRosaliepayout doesn’t mean shit. Their lives will never be the same after that. The butterfly affect. What an awful thing to immediately say . $$ ain’t everything.
I think the point is that the money can be used to help them get the best therapy possible. Something they will probably need for many years to come if not the rest of their lives. Calm down! @@Okbroski
Most of these tragedies happen because companies are trying to "save" money. Like the duck boat that capsized and killed 14 people. What's the point of trying to "save" money putting people's lives at risk just to have to pay them because the ride was unsafe?
As a Queenslander and an Australian, this was my favourite ride at Dreamworld and rode this ride countless times… We are all heartbroken over this tragedy and I personally had found it very hard to return to Dreamworld until September 2022 when we got yearly passes.. The ride was removed and a garden has replaced it.. I can’t bring myself to walk down there.. Thank you Dr Grande for your kindness and compassion telling this horrific story… Peace be with them till they meet with their families again…
It was part of the Dreamworld visit routine as a youngster. It was always the first ride we always went on. Back then my biggest childish fear was only falling in...
Mate. Death world. I'm 20 minutes up the road and I'll never give them another cent of my money. It wasn't just an "accident". It was pure negligence and could of been anyone of us. It was a Horrific, avoidable tragedy!
So the reaction to horrible deaths is to not send the company a cent of your money?? Woah, you show them!! What about when a drunk driver kills 4 people, you not going to renew your car registration or pay taxes?
I'll never go back either. Heaps of idiots were having a go at me back then saying 'it was just a tragic accident'! No it wasn't. It was GROSS negligence and complete lack of regard for public safety. I'll never go back to Dreamworld ever again.
@@koobie83 18,000 people die from medical neglect in Australia each year ... so hospitals, doctors, any healthcare is off the table for you then?? www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1117772/
i from GC too. i was working at GCH as a nurse that day its so easy to remember cos the whole place like stopped everyone was sooo sad especially our friends who worked there
Thanks again Dr grande for your analysis. Being an Australian this tragedy has stuck in my mind ever since it happened - the way those poor people died is to me beyond comprehension - dreamworld's lack of safety standards by ignoring the rides problems - particularly with the many incidents they'd had with the ride before was totally irresponsible and simply a matter of not wanting to spend the money. My sympathy not only to the victims but also to the people who witnessed this horrible event - particularly the paramedics and police who continue to suffer with flashbacks 😢🙏
as a former theme park employee: just look around at the people working at these parks and ask yourself if you really want to put your life in their hands
it amazes me the total compensation across all the families, paramedics and witnesses was just over $5 million. in america if you trip over a pebble you can sue for $100m
I missed so many days of your videos, I've been in the hospital because I was hit by a drunk driver. 😡 I'm extremely happy now to have my Dr. Grande channel back!!❤
I totally sympathize with the nearby park patrons who witnessed this carnage. Many years ago in my early teens I was in the gate awaiting to get on a rollercoaster. I was going to board the next train coming into the loading station. As the train before mine was exiting the station one of the workers at the rear somehow got snag on the last car and the worker was pulled the entire length along the edge on the exiting side of the platform. The lead worker punched the emergency stop but it was too late. The worker bled out very quickly and park security arrived on the scene rapidly to render care and evacuate the ride. I never found out what ultimately happened to that worker but needless to say I’ve thought about her many times over the years.
I live near this theme park. My daughters, grandchildren and I often went there for a day out but refuse to set foot in the place now. There is no excuse for the occurrence of this incident.
As a kid (and adult), I got on so many sketchy rides; even at traveling carnivals. How I never got hurt amazes me. Blind faith and my parents weren't with me.❤
Had a local town fair and the rides all squeaked and were rusted as shit. My kids wanted to ride them, and while I know I would have as a kid, I was like helllllll nah!
The traveling carnivals freak me out 🎡 Thwres no way I’m getting on a Gravitron, pirates swing, ferriswheel, or any giant contraption they brought in on a truck!🛻 🎡 😂
I was an attractions operator trainer at a ~ major theme park ~. We had over 40 hours of training as well as multiple assessments and consistent, daily audits. To send an operator loose after 1.5h is absolutely bonkers.
This was HORRID and we only found out how HORRIFIC THE INJURIES WERE FROM OVERSEAS MEDIA !!! The Australian media led us to believe they just drowned ....not that they got so awfully munched in the machinery !! Just disgusting trying to cover those tourism dollars !!!! Thank you for covering Dr Grande 😊
@@tigerwarsaw99 yep and the fact they tried to make it sound less bad is even more awful 😖 thank God overseas media don't care about tourism dollars over people!!!
You're absolutely right. I also find it even more horrific that the local police deemed the park not negligent for the deaths. Seems Ardent Leisure Group made a backroom deal from the start. Glad to see that Ardent finally had to pay out (even though it is probably a drop in the bucket for them.)
I remember this story being so so horrifying when it happened. Almost every Aussie and their family had been on this ride at some point in their life. Unimaginable tragedy that could have happened to anyone. It still plays in my mind when attending a theme park.
In the investigation it was revealed much of the electrical wiring was akin to a rats nest, patch fix over patch fix. But honestly where were the Queensland Government inspectors considering Dreamworld was one of the key Tourist theme parks in the area. DrG if you need a really curious story from this same area of Australia look into the Bray Park fireworks incident. A 11 year old girl was killed and nine others were seriously injured in an explosion at a school fireworks display in Brisbane. This fireworks display was looked over by Explosives inspections prior to the incident. This single incident triggered a total reworking of the fireworks industry in Queensland. To me it all says a core connection with whats going wrong is the Government inspectors who's job it is to ensure theme parks & firework displays are not lethal.
MrBallen has a LOT of scary stories that took place in Australia... in fact, those are usually the scariest to me! The Land of Oz is a great place with wonderful folks, but y'all have too many animals and even plants that want to merk ya! One of the freakiest was a hiker who was found dead, but cause of death was a mystery until a botanist suggested they look for a particular plant. Sure enough, this lethal plant was the culprit. He hiked through the stuff, not knowing that just brushing against it would be lethal. 😳 I still wish I could move there. My dad spent two years working in Australia in the mid 1960s at the Joint Defence military base, Pine Gap, near Alice Springs. He loved it, and almost accepted a permanent job there, we were going to move to Alice and I was so excited! Mom was not, so it didn't happen.😒 I still don't know what they did at Pine Gap, I guess if he told us he'd have to kill us! I asked him what he did there when I was seven yrs old, his answer was, "We are watching Russia, who is watching US!"
Say what you want about America, but if this had happened in the 'States it would be a lawyers' orgy, so many lawsuits would be filed. Both Dreamworks and Bray park would have been sued into oblivion, and rightfully so.
As a child I loved thrill rides, there wasn't one I wouldn't get on. In my early 20's I developed a great fear of heights and thrill rides of any kind. But something like this ride I'd honestly get on with my children. Always felt like raft rides were extremely safe. Never heard of this incident, definitely an eye opener.
I always thought these water rides were safe myself after hearing about this incident I will be extra cautious going forward it’s just sad what they went thru I feel like the 5 million was just a slap on the wrist the loss of 4 lives is worth way more than that
No, quite the opposite. I've worked over 38 different rides and attractions, and ridden hundreds, but these water rides legitimately scare me. Way too much that could go wrong, and they have a horrible track record.
@@cbronsonda13th37I don't have those particular public speaking skills, but there's no secrets. It's just a lot of moving parts and unpredictable/difficult to control water. By and large, they are safe attractions, far safer than how you traveled to the park. But compared to other rides, they are less safe. There have been several incidents. The main issue that can happen is when boats get stuck somewhere and bump into each other. Again, this is quite a rare occurrence, but it's more likely to happen than anything I can envision happening on a roller coaster.
@@MontagnaMagicaanother component to this is rider ignorance... Most people have no idea that they’re basically on a conveyor belt that is submerged under water. That’s why they’re so confident unbuckling and standing up while the tide is moving. They have no idea the potential dangers looming in the water.
I live about 15 minutes from Dreamworld. I'm 43 now but when I was a kid my parents would take us to Dreamworld every year or two. We noticed that after the takeover that Dreamworld lost the Disney World type magic that it once had and it became a leanly run business that was all about profits. I agree that the culture became very relaxed over the years and the hiring policy was questionable.
I live in Queensland, and when this happened it shocked the entire country. Usually things like this do not happen in a place like Australia. We have some pretty stringent Standards. It's stupefying that a machine like this managed to slip through the gaps for so long. This disaster was inevitable and avoidable.
Agree. I used to think Dreamworld was safer than going to the Ekka. 😂😂😂 those rides undergo way more safety checks. I'll never go back to Dreamworld as long as I live.
I have been going to Dreamworld since the 80’s and have been on that ride at least 100 times. The day it happened sent horrific shock through our community 😔 my thoughts and condolences are always with the brave souls who lost their lives and with their courageous families.
I remember when this happened, they were interviewing one of the paramedics and he said something that has stayed with me. He said the injuries that were sustained were not compatable with life. Never forgot it and never been to Dream World since 😳
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 sorry just to correct you - 'injuries incompatible with life' is a medical term used to describe a situation where the deceased was guaranteed not to survive (i.e decapitation, complete cranial destruction etc) it doesnt mean they were still alive when paramedics arrived on scene, I dont know whether knowing their bodies were so crushed it was impossible to survive makes it a better picture but I hope for their sake it was over quickly, such a horrible tragedy.
There’s no way any of those folks were conscious more than a few seconds after encountering the machinery. From shock to, brain/spine injury, chest injury, they would have lost consciousness immediately. Thank god they didn’t have cellphone cameras back then.
The most scary thing is that the water rides are generally considered one of the most safe rides when you compare them to rollercoasters and other rides that flip you in the air. My condolences to everyone involved in this tragedy.
@@kinosgardenthey are, just by the nature of their ride vehicles (boats, rafts, etc). i'm a coaster operator at a park with water rides, including one right next to my coaster. the amount of times they've had to stop the ride to tell people to sit tf down is crazy. you can't simply stand up on something like a large coaster with locking restraints. but on a boat with a lap bar you pull down, or a seatbelt-like strap, that's a different story
@@kinosgardenlet me also add that my bf worked at a nearby park where he was trained at a raft-type water ride. his first day of training included the operators and maintenance team draining the water from the ride in order to evacuate guests, bc the control operator saw on the cameras that some guy had fully unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up. the operator immediately hit the emergency stop, the water drained, and they yeeted the dude out of there. some people play around w their safety and the safety of others and it sucks
“Water rides” is a pretty broad brush. I’d be willing to believe water slides are safer because they don’t have nearly as many mechanical parts that can fail, but river rapids type rides are almost certainly at least as dangerous as any roller coaster.
Dr Grande, may I request that you do a video on the David family from Utah? On August 4th 1978, Immanuel David jumped to his death from a Utah hotel. As horrific as that was, the situation was even darker as he had convinced his wife to jump after him along with their 7 children. Only one child survived, a teen girl. My understanding is that it was yet again another case of a religious fundamentalist who had declared himself to be a prophet. What type of personality lends itself to such extreme religious beliefs and practices? What kind of mother blindly follows her husband to her death? Lastly, what kind of parents are willing to kill their own children in the name of religion? Thank you as always!
This is one of the saddest videos from Dr. Grande. The children will carry this with them forever. Four people who did nothing wrong are gone. It is good to bring attention to how dangerous some of these rides are.
I’m surprised no one was charged with something. Surely missing slats, which enabled the car to jam in between could have been fixed. Also, whoever made the decision to keep the ride operating when the pump failed TWICE should be held accountable. Those poor children.
The horrible thing about this ride is that it was always considered a safe family ride for the whole family. Like you'd take your grandma on it. Little did we all know it was the most dangerous the whole time.
@@koobie83 Unfortunately any ride is dangerous. Some accidents are operator error or mechanical failure, some are rider fault (height or weight restrictions overriden, they stand up or loosen belts etc). Sometimes it's just fate & bad luck. Yes this one more tame but certainly not the most dangerous. Roller coasters have many more accidents🎡🎠🎢🎪
Wow! How tragic 😥. I went to Dreamworld with my kids in 2014. I am shocked to hear about this terrible accident. I was so relieved to hear that the children escaped. However, the trauma of losing their parents in such a horrendous way will never leave them 😢.
As an Aussie, living in QLD I was and still am sad about this case.I can not believe people still go there. Once you start going down the theme park rabbit hole/ algorythym it's so disturbing. I will never let my kids go on rides and I don't do it myself.
Yes and no. Larger more known theme parks that have proudly boasted a record of safely (like Disney) are some of the safest recreation parks to visit. Dreamland was acquired by another company which placed profits over safely.
I can't even remember how many times I have been on that ride, I grew up just down the road from Dreamworld. This incident was described to me by a paramedic who was there, and who followed the case closely, as a tragedy of errors. What disappointed me as someone who at the time was looking to study paramedicine was the public backlash over the use of "injuries incompatible with life" in statements to the media, when it is honestly the nicest way of putting what tragically happened to these people
I have to tell you that after I was done processing everything that went on here, I feel as bad for Courtney as the families as she has to carry this horrendous burden, and it was her first day on the freaking job. 💔
I don’t feel as bad for her as for the two children, but I do feel bad for her too. Hardly anyone would have acted differently in her position but she must be wracked with guilt anyway.
@@CedarMountainsnowPut the kids last on the sympathy list? I'd think this astoundingly gruesome scene would leave ANYONE who witnessed it with just horrible trauma and I can't assign "levels" of sympathy... The only people in this situation that I don't feel sorry for are the owners who should have been held liable personally - Like the water park accident in Kansas that the Doc described a few days ago,, these rides always have built-in dangers simply because they are meant to give people a thrill of some sort... and the design factors of the ride always include extremely powerful machinery that has to work absolutely perfectly to even maintain the absolute minimum safety requirements required to both give people a fairly safe ride and give them whatever thrill the ride is supposed to impart... BUT like the water park accident in Kansas this accident in Australia also included machinery that wasn't designed correctly and even a cursory inspection by somebody who knows the slightest bit about such thing would conclude that further safety concerns should be addressed...... This of course translates into money, and imo both sets of CEOs criminally scrimped on the inspections,, and their failure to redesign their rides to a higher standard of safety imo should be answered with criminal charges and not just a fine....
This really rocked Australia. Dreamworld was always thought of such a happy place. All I could think was for the poor families n those that witnessed it. That ride was one of the most popular, i went on it at 5yrs old in 1987-88
ive been to dreamworld on multiple occasions when i was younger before this happened, and the thing that is so shocking about this is that it's one of the more chill and family friendly rides. you'd think a disaster would happen on one of the bigger rides like the 115 meter tall tower of terror, but no. knowing ive been on the ride, it horrifying to think about how it could of been me and my family
My last visit to Dreamworld was in 2014. My seatbelt unclicked by itself on the Tower of Terror and the padded harness lifted up off my shoulders slightly. I was so terrified! I thought it was going to come off altogether but I pulled down on it and clutched on for dear life. When back at the bottom, I told the ride operator what had happened and he laughed and said “but did you die?”
How absolutely tragic. I hope that the surviving children were able to get help. I can’t even imagine how traumatic that day was. I’m glad that you bring attention to cases like this. Incompetence that leads to death should be exposed
What a great analysis. As an Australian, I remember this case well. I think just about anybody who followed the story here was somewhat traumatised by the descriptions in the media of what happened to these poor people. May they R.I.P. Anyone who rolls their eyes when they are required by employers to undertake OH&S training (I've seen plenty of them) should give themselves an uppercut. Thank you Dr Grande.
I agree completely with Dr Grande’s analysis on this. I haven’t been since 1998 but, as local kids, we had season passes and went to Dreamworld as often as our parents would allow. As early as 7 or 8 years old, I remember on the “log ride” and the “mine shaft ride” and later this “rapid river ride” my friends and I would remark about how dangerous it would be if someone fell out and got caught in all the gears. It was part of the scary fun for us at that age. When this happened I actually felt a pang of guilt for once laughing about it. It was so tragic and terrible especially because it was so preventable. Looking back, it would have been easy for the park to make the rides safer. For decades, the park owners cared more about the cost and aesthetics than about safety. There should have been criminal charges.
I live just out of Brisbane and have been to Dreamworld soo many times, on this ride many times. I remember how huge this story was. The ride seemed so safe. I am sorry to those who lost their lives
Im glad you mentioned that there are usually multiple problems and mistakes that caused this accident. I have noticed that with many disasters, just like the Titanic. If just one safety rule had been enforced, it never would have happened. Safety protocol should always come first.
I went on this ride for years from when it first opened right up until before this happened. Strangely over the years I became more nervous every time even though it was considered a soft fun family ride. Eventually when I would go on it with my children I’d get super anxious and would tell my then husband that if the raft tipped we should each grab one child and get to the edge. My family teased me endlessly and thought I was ridiculous. The last time I couldn’t get on it and my then husband took the kids without me which was worse and I almost had a panic attack. I felt so stupid at the time but I just felt like it would flip over and we would drown. The day this happened we watched the news and my kids just stared at me. They still mention how I was chill at first then became more scared as the years went on until this happened.
@@pureoxin8135she probably saw the ride deteriorate over time. Also, there were several incidents where the ride was shut down. I’m sure that was made public over the years.
I remember i was at dreamworld 4 days before this happened, you used to be able to see the river rapids ride from above while on the giant drop ride, and i remember thinking at the time how all that machinery moving underneath the water seemed scarier than the giant drop. Thanks for covering Dr. G
I was still a little confused on how the ride is set up . Is the machinery under water or did they fall straight into the machines? How is there not a net or something. All 4 people fell through a small gap?
@@Whocares1987 Only the side of the raft fell into the gap. The machinery was under the water, but with the force of being plunged into the water, the victims immediately came into contact with it.
Every time I think I want to go to an amusement park this year I see a bunch of stories like this and are reminded there's safer fun things to spend my money on and I'll probably be better off 😬
I don't think there would be an Aussie who wasn't seriously affected by this disaster. Not to mention the family, friends, and witnesses to the horror. It felt like the entire country went into a state of mourning. I live in Victoria, so almost as far south as you can go from Queensland and still be in Aus, but the days seemed greyer, people were just walking around like zombies, incapable of taking in what had just occurred. Thank you for continuing to cover Aussie cases Dr Grande
@@eadweard. Well that was my experience of how things were. What was yours? I don't think being gloomy about four people crushed to death in front of kids/family/friends/park attendees/workers is melodramatic but you do you.
@@skunkrat01 Well I'm fairly confident I've already made my point convincingly. If you're equally happy with your own performance then maybe you'll join me in inviting the fair-minded reader to review our exchange and form their own conclusions.
Thank you Dr Grande ❤ for covering this awful tragedy, I live in Australia I don't think anyone here will ever forget what happened to the victims on the Thunder River Rapids Ride. My heart breaks for the 4 people that lost their lives in the most horrible avoidable way. Theme parks need to put there customers safety first. To those who witnessed this tragedy I can imagine this will haunt them forever 😢
I'm glad that the kids got out, but oh my gosh, how traumatic for these babies. 😢 It's terrifying to think that such an innocuous looking ride could deal out such carnage. This type of ride is exactly what would have attracted me to the park.
This accident was awful. I think most Aussies if they've been to QLD, they've gone to Dreamworld. I have. I've ridden that ride. It seemed like one of the most low key, less extreme rides. No one even thinks about the conveyor mechanism beneath you. Clearly this came down to profit over safety and lack of or poor training. I feel terrible for the people who witnessed this horror and the loved ones of those killed. 😢 From what I've heard it was a very distressing scene.
That gap looks so obviously suspect next to the thickness of the pod. It looks like a cookie falling into a mouth. Like they were made for each other. Poor people. Not shutting off the ride at first south pump fail was a crime. That supervisor and his higher ups obviously perpetrated a culture of negligence that resulted in the death of those people. Money > peoples lives, very sad
I work in an industrial setting that features equipment very similar to this, although for a very different purpose. It is absolutely shocking that the 'conveyor with flights' was designed in the way it was where it dumped the rafts onto the next set of rails. Also, the system of training they had at this park is absolutely dumbfounding, I thought there were government systems in place to act as an oversight for machinery like this that carry people. Those 4 adults never had a chance, they would have gone from being startled at the raft lifting up to being dead within less than a minute.
A friend of mine did a vacation job in a theme park. She had to operate several different rides. They just showed her how to make it start and stop. Safety regulations were not even mentioned… that and the fact that she was only 17 years old was to me a terrifying revelation. I never ever went on any ride again, not on a carnival or in a theme park. Too many accidents that involve mechanical or human malfunction have caused horrible deaths. I witnessed a ride that had stoped upside down and kept stuck that way for over half an hour. People that were trapped were fainting from hanging upside down. One person panicked and tried to climb out resulting in falling down and breaking both of his legs and having a severe skull fracture.
I so enjoy watching your videos, you put so much passion in them and help all of us appreciate the circumstances of all actions people decide to make on a daily basis!
Oh crap. This summer we got stuck on a similar ride just feet from the end. We were there 30 minutes or so before they had to help us off. No idea how everyone else got off. I honestly never considered death was a possibility.
So if I'd been shakier than I was that day and lost my footing getting out, there's a chance I could've been killed by the machinery? I only worried about if I fell in I'd get my phone wet.
Get your phone wet? Insurance? Bags of rice or silica gel? I honestly don't even think of it Minus the part where you can't charge it as long as you have the water drop icon. And old phones are ALWAYS on the charger, and internal drying can take hours.
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 rice & silica don't work. When batteries were removable, I had a method that worked that involved a tub of 97% pure isopropyl alcohol.
I’m from Australia, we often went to the Gold Coast when I was young to have a family holiday. We had gone to Dreamworld many times. Both my mum and one of my brothers are terrified of rollercoasters but always got on this ride with us and they never found it ‘scary’. It was always seen as the family friendly ride, I was on it at 6/7 years old. A lot of people see Dreamworld differently now, I know the times I go to the Gold Coast now as an adult visiting I never go there and choose to visit the other parks instead. So heartbreaking, sending loves to the victims family and friends.
I'm not familiar with ride safety standards in Australia, but in California, safety systems are required to be checked each day before operations begin. This includes functional tests of all emergency stops, on which all operators and maintenance personnel must be trained and tested before they are certified. It is also an industry standard to have water level sensors on rides like this which would shut it down if the level was too low. If Dreamland failed to ensure the ride could be stopped in an emergency, they were clearly responsible for this tragedy. I'm glad they at least they had the decency to tear down the ride.
Dr Grande that is the best video you’ve done - very succinct with the detail. Although I enjoy your usual creative irony in the analysis of other cases, I’m so glad you didn’t do it this time. Well done - very respectful…classy. That is not a fact, just my opinion, on your opinion. 😊
Hearing about this horrible tragedy makes me not feel so odd because of my fear of these ride parks. I have never trusted the safety of these parks. The ride operators have always seemed to me to be underpaid and poorly trained, while the people on top laugh all the way to the bank with no regard for their patrons. Those poor children had to witness this nightmare.
Hearing about all these horrific and completely unavoidable "accidents", the world would greatly need an independent group of skilled people like mechanical, and electrical engineers, firefighters, physicists, etc. that goes around the world and detect both obvious and more obscure safety issues and post them to the web, like a Yelp site for safety.
From watching videos by Dr. Grande, how about a drinking game, one sip if he mentions ‘sensation seeking’ and ‘life, without the possibility of parole’
The Swiss Cheese model - eventually, all the problems (“holes,” lapses, blindspots) in operation or procedure line up, and tragedy happens. I won’t forget these poor people, or the children.
I live half an hour from Dreamworld, it is a beloved, favourite place of the childhoods of most of us. Once we were on it and just before our raft reached the start of the conveyor, it stalled and a side gate thing swung open, us floating out into this small lagoon area. It was maybe a minute or two before a group of staff ran out and arranged a solution. It sucks for Dreamworld as a theme park relies on being a place of magic. Now when you go there, it is still great, but has a slight air of sadness to it given the tragedy.
This is happening now in the aviation industry. I was on a amusment park ride once that was way out of my league as l was too small for the ride and my sister didn't notice. I was falling on my head over and over. Maybe thats what happened to me. On a separate note, Oh my God what a horrifying and chilling happening! I'm so angry at this theme park.
I so hope Dr Grande does an analysis of the wrongful and scandalous prosecution of hundreds of British Post Office operators by the Post Office here in the UK.
That's horrific. We have the same ride at Paramount Canada's Wonderland near Toronto. It's called White Water Canyon. I'm surprised the conveyor design hasn't changed after this Australian disaster....
Hi Dr Grande As a Queenslander, this news came to me and all of us here in Queensland and Australia is a massive shock of disbelief and horror. No one expects this to happen but it did right at home in our backyard. Many people including myself rode this many times and have many happy memories, it’s such a shame it ended the way it did. A lot of people boycotted Dreamworld following this tragedy and it’s also worth mentioning that Dreamworld itself closed for quite a substantial period of time after the tragedy and lost millions of dollars as a result and to many this news was music to the ears. Many are still skeptical of Dreamworld and still to this day refuse to visit the park. I visited the in 2022 and it’s just not the same anymore without the TRR ride. Thank you for covering this topic, I and many other Australians who watch you appreciate your unbiased and open opinions of cases in Australia . - Mike
i'm gonna go ahead and say that they should probably train ride operators for AT LEAST several days before they can operate the ride, not an hour and a half before they can operate the ride, that's so scary to think about being on a ride and the operators don't even know what the buttons do. I edited this comment to add that, when i worked at teavana they trained me for a while before i could even *sell* tea, i needed to know what i was talking about. I don't get how they can't train an employee in charge of people's lives as much as the starbucks company trained me just to sell tea.
Dr. Grande, you need some LIVE cacti! I collect cacti myself, and this always (slightly) irks me when I see your background 😂! Though I get real plants can be a pain, you can easily pop for one or two?!? Heck, I would happily send you one if you would enjoy that??!?! Just let me know 😊! I will gift you a stunner 👍🏻!
One of the biggest challenges when companies act criminally is determining who is responsible for the crime. Accountability is purposefully obtuse. In a culture where money is the only consideration, people who care about safety, ethics, etc. are drummed out of the organization very quickly and blamed for their own demise.
I read the Post-Mortem Report and fortunately for all four of the deceased, they wouldn't have been alive long enough to have felt much pain, if any at all. On the other hand, simply forcing negligent companies to pay few million dollars is typically written off as merely the cost of doing business. Judges need to start forcing these companies to pay out sums that would leave a lasting impression (I'm thinking a fraction of their annual revenue).
It was a tragic day for Australian and Queenslanders. I never forget the head of the paramedic team saying ‘the injuries were inconsistent with life’😢 a year or two later in QLD the industrial manslaughter came to action making people responsible criminally with prison term in similar circumstances Alas! too late for these victims.
I don’t think I’ll be getting on any rides anymore or allowing my baby to get on them when he grows up. This just makes me so scared. These freak accidents seem to be more common than we’d think. That waterside accident video from last week had me messed up!RIP to those people 😞
I live about 20 minutes from this theme park in South Brisbane... I have been to the theme park more times than I can count and have been on this ride heaps of times... it was actually considered by myself and friends as a lame ride, not very exciting, just for kids kind of ride. When we heard about this tragedy we were overwhelmingly upset and sad. This stays with me today 😢
How horrifying to see that happen! The older I get, the less I trust these parks! 😢
The older and wiser you get the less you trust anything.
@YeeLeeHaw You're right! I'd rather ride every ride at a park than be admitted to a hospital! 🤕
Or, anyone.
Especially those weekend carnivals
Same here
Death by crushing must be one of the most agonizing ways to die. The idea of this fun ride turning into a meat grinder seconds after they were all laughing and having fun is terrifying. Straight out of final destination.
Yeah. Doesn't bear thinking about. I love horror films, but this video has shook me.
Yah , that’s some heavy dark shit right there
the victims in Final Destination died quicker.
I like the horror vibe of this comment. And this case reminds of the movie The Mangler 💯
The poor kids must be dealing with a hard life
I live close to this theme park, & had a friend in the ambulance service who attended that day. The ambos described the scene as "injuries incompatible with life," which is a chilling phrase indeed. There are very few injuries in this category; other examples are decapitation or total bisection.
This park was notorious for its singular focus on profit, with underpaid & undertrained workers.
So the victims were pretty much crushed to blobs, i remember seeing another channel cover this incident but they didnt say how bad it was. So sad 😞
I'm going to read up on that term. A wide variety of catastrophic injuries could possibly fit.
I wonder if the term excludes things like one's body being kept alive by machines. I feel that it must for the term to have any useful meaning.
@@hideousruinThat doesn’t begin to cover it. Think more like…no I won’t go there.
@@hideousruin there bodies couldn't even have been kept alive by machines. They were smooshed in between the chains and slats. One of the seats had the whole top of it crushed off so god help the person who was in that seat buckled in.
I know this because I used to work for the insurer who handled their liability claim.
The claim was very VERY sensitive and details were kept private so the staff there wouldn't also have to make trauma claims. But my manager basically told me they were smooshed.
During the official inquest the autopys were made public. Horrific. Rest in peace to these innocent people.
I was injured on a water slide at dreamworld in the 80’s. My heel was cut open. I was given a bandaid and sent on my way. Mum took one look and off to the Doctor we went. The Doctor said it was a fraction away from ripping the tendon and I had to have stitches. It’s only in later life that I realised the severity of my injury.
this is wild 😭😭😭 that's so scary
Thank God you had an attentive mother
Damn, I'm sorry! When I was a kid, I was in a water park in Finland. I rode a rapid waters-type waterslide where you're supposed to be on one of those big donuts. Well, I fell out of mine, perhaps I was so light that it flipped over more easily. I couldn't get in it anymore, so I had to slide down with my body against the strangely rough surface. It cut me up so bad. They were only surface nicks, but they were everywhere, I was bleeding. It was a painful ride down and you can believe that I started crying and ran to my mom after. I don't understand why the surface wasn't more smooth - sure, it was for the donuts, but it's not exactly inconceivable that a person would fall out.
I trust water parks way less than amusement parks, which are usually very safe (can't speak for Dreamworld, obviously). Carnival rides are the worst though, most of the accidents you see and hear about (like parts falling off or a ride literally about to fall over from the momentum) are from carnival rides, especially in countries with lax regulations (and yes the US is one of those, wouldn't be surprised about Australia either). Remember, they have to take apart and reassemble the rides constantly, and they can't be tethered down fully.
The word "doctor" does not get capitalized when used as a noun, which you did both times.
@@mikegarippo7815I am sure the poster enjoyed your grammar lesson.
I can't imagine how awful this would have been for the children on the raft to witness. Absolutely heart breaking.
It was pretty bad for the people that were killed too.
Scarred for life I'm sure. Very very sad.
At least they got out alive
you could say it was heart *crushing*
If you try really hard, you could imagine it.
Was there 6 days before this happened. I literally was on that ride 3 times with my husband and 4 year old. A lady from England was scared and said she hated rides. I said "I've been riding this ride since I was 5. It's totally safe"
However, we notice when we were there a TOTAL lack of staff everywhere and one employee was running ALL system checks, safety and operating the rides. I had to ask a female employee who was completely off with the fairies how we should balance our weight on the log ride. She totally didn't care.
This is so tragic. I'll never ever go back. I don't care how safe they say they are. I'll never go back out of principal for those people who tragically lost their life on a safe, family ride and the total lack of regard for safety of the public by the company who ran the park.
When I was a little kid, I can clearly remember there was at least 5 staff working this ride. When we were there just prior to this incident, I think I saw 1. Operating the ride AND helping guests hop on and off the ride.
Corner cutting for profits.I don't know why }people just freely trust these contraptions.
Still heartbroken by this. I went to school with Roozi, an awesome guy who went through a few tough times and blossomed into a beautiful life. His partner, Luke and Luke’s sister, Kate both lost their lives, which was horrendous for their families. Much love to all, including Cindy and her loved ones. I hope you continue to shine brightly. x
i met roozies older brother. he was in a state last year. still getting over it
Sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry for your loss
I'm sorry for Your loss 💖🙏
WHEN WE WERE KIDS HE SHOVED MY BROTHER OVER AND STOLE HIS BIKE. HE GAVE IT BACK LATER BENT IN HALF
Sometimes when safety issues are raised, bosses will ignore them and attack the one who pointed out the problem.
Also, when something has been running relatively well for a long time, some bosses and managers forget how important training is. They just need the schedules filled.
🤔 OceanGate...Stockton Rush 😧
I've heard that before. Also heard at least one death from such.
@@suzannenichols6900 Air conditioner tradesmen refused to work in the attic of the school where I had worked because of asbestos. My foreman told them it had been tested and was not asbestos and they went back to work. I repeatedly said it was asbestos and the issue should be looked at but was ignored. I sent away a sample to be tested. It came back positive. The boss said I was undermining my foreman by taking it upon myself to have it tested. That issue was one of the main reasons listed for my sacking.
Pretty common in many different jobs but normally less lethal in an office for example. If you stick your neck out don't be surprised if your boss comes for your head.
Can you imagine your first day of work and you witness this tragedy??? Absolutely terrifying
Probably their last day of work as well
I bet that made for an awkward second day
It wasn't her first day of work. Pay attention please
@@MonTube2006 Dr. Grande said it was her first day on the job.
I agree with the analysis, and oh, those poor people. I would add that if there's a machine/situation that can go that wrong, that quickly, there should probably be one person whose sole job is to monitor the rafts and hit the stop button immediately when needed. Having one person responsible for both monitoring the ride and helping passengers disembark AND being available to hit the emergency button seems like a recipe for disaster.
I live near Dreamworld, and since a teenager, I have gone to this park more times to count. Including the rapid ride. I will never forget this event, and Dreamworld has never been the same since. I've never returned to Dreamworld after this horrific event. Driving past the park is just sad.
Me either. I will never forget, and I'm not even remotely close to Australia. I don't think I'm going on that ride now, because of it
Agreed
I don’t think that ride is there anymore.
Agree. I have never returned after this incident and even though the ride has been dismantled and the area cleared each time I drive past Dreamworld I am still haunted by the events that took place that day. 😢
How do you drive by it when it's all the way in australia.
Water rides are always my favorite, but I'll admit they always terrified me when you see gears, rollers, pumps, and all manners of hazards just a few inches below the water level at points.
Creepier than those awful swimming pools that whales were kept in at “Sea World” type parks. Nothing quite as dreamy as chain link gates submerged under 20 feet of pool water with pissed off Orca’s circling on the other side.
Anyone who says the words "21 year old Courtney, after 90 minutes of safety training" is starting a story that will not end well.
Or anyone named Peter🤔
@@adotintheshark4848 Wasn't she an engineer??
@@Niki-rn2ms I don't believe engineers, as a rule, moonlight for minimum wage
The only good aspect is that the two children survived. But if you think the first responders were traumatized, it must be so much worse for them. They either directly witnessed or were at least very near their mothers being mangled to death.
good to hear at least they got a payout for their trauma
@@SueRosaliepayout doesn’t mean shit. Their lives will never be the same after that. The butterfly affect. What an awful thing to immediately say . $$ ain’t everything.
I think the point is that the money can be used to help them get the best therapy possible. Something they will probably need for many years to come if not the rest of their lives. Calm down!
@@Okbroski
@@Okbroski Effect, not affect. Isn't, not ain't. Bad grammar.
Most of these tragedies happen because companies are trying to "save" money. Like the duck boat that capsized and killed 14 people. What's the point of trying to "save" money putting people's lives at risk just to have to pay them because the ride was unsafe?
As a Queenslander and an Australian, this was my favourite ride at Dreamworld and rode this ride countless times… We are all heartbroken over this tragedy and I personally had found it very hard to return to Dreamworld until September 2022 when we got yearly passes.. The ride was removed and a garden has replaced it.. I can’t bring myself to walk down there..
Thank you Dr Grande for your kindness and compassion telling this horrific story…
Peace be with them till they meet with their families again…
It was a shocking tragedy. Many Australians have been on this ride over the years, including me.
Omg
It was part of the Dreamworld visit routine as a youngster. It was always the first ride we always went on. Back then my biggest childish fear was only falling in...
I went on that ride when we visited Dreamworld in September, 2005. It was great fun, then 🤔
2007 for me. I still live on the Gold Coast. It was huge news when it happened. Such a waste. It was amazing the kids all survived.
Wow - that is truly eerie
Mate. Death world. I'm 20 minutes up the road and I'll never give them another cent of my money. It wasn't just an "accident". It was pure negligence and could of been anyone of us. It was a Horrific, avoidable tragedy!
So the reaction to horrible deaths is to not send the company a cent of your money??
Woah, you show them!!
What about when a drunk driver kills 4 people, you not going to renew your car registration or pay taxes?
I'll never go back either. Heaps of idiots were having a go at me back then saying 'it was just a tragic accident'! No it wasn't. It was GROSS negligence and complete lack of regard for public safety. I'll never go back to Dreamworld ever again.
@@koobie83 18,000 people die from medical neglect in Australia each year ... so hospitals, doctors, any healthcare is off the table for you then??
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1117772/
i from GC too. i was working at GCH as a nurse that day its so easy to remember cos the whole place like stopped everyone was sooo sad especially our friends who worked there
@@thedefinitionfowoman thank you for your service 🙏 🥰🇦🇺
Thanks again Dr grande for your analysis. Being an Australian this tragedy has stuck in my mind ever since it happened - the way those poor people died is to me beyond comprehension - dreamworld's lack of safety standards by ignoring the rides problems - particularly with the many incidents they'd had with the ride before was totally irresponsible and simply a matter of not wanting to spend the money. My sympathy not only to the victims but also to the people who witnessed this horrible event - particularly the paramedics and police who continue to suffer with flashbacks 😢🙏
as a former theme park employee: just look around at the people working at these parks and ask yourself if you really want to put your life in their hands
it amazes me the total compensation across all the families, paramedics and witnesses was just over $5 million. in america if you trip over a pebble you can sue for $100m
100%
Yep, stereotypes exist for a reason. I just got back from 6 Flags in Texas and most of the ride staff made Walmart look like a high class hangout.
true! And think about rides at a traveling fair!! Even worse!!
@@pablosskates7067I’m American, this is true; I like our legal system
Compliments to the good Doctor for the meticulous scholarly job researching the technical background for this story.
I missed so many days of your videos, I've been in the hospital because I was hit by a drunk driver. 😡 I'm extremely happy now to have my Dr. Grande channel back!!❤
Omg I hope you recover soon. How horrible!
Aww, Thank you. Im doing ok now...my car didn't make it out alive though. After 4 yrs I had just paid it off this past September. 😭
@@roxannespahr2804yikes! Hope you enjoy marathoning the videos you missed, and your incident pays off😊
@@troy3456789 Thank you!!🙂
My gosh, I am so sorry that happened to you. Hope you heal up ok
I totally sympathize with the nearby park patrons who witnessed this carnage. Many years ago in my early teens I was in the gate awaiting to get on a rollercoaster. I was going to board the next train coming into the loading station. As the train before mine was exiting the station one of the workers at the rear somehow got snag on the last car and the worker was pulled the entire length along the edge on the exiting side of the platform. The lead worker punched the emergency stop but it was too late. The worker bled out very quickly and park security arrived on the scene rapidly to render care and evacuate the ride. I never found out what ultimately happened to that worker but needless to say I’ve thought about her many times over the years.
Oh gawd, how horrible!! That poor girl! And what a terrible thing for you to have to witness.
I live near this theme park. My daughters, grandchildren and I often went there for a day out but refuse to set foot in the place now. There is no excuse for the occurrence of this incident.
As a kid (and adult), I got on so many sketchy rides; even at traveling carnivals. How I never got hurt amazes me. Blind faith and my parents weren't with me.❤
Just rub some beer on it Mate. No worries
I hear that. We saw one ride being spot welded @ a local carnival...it just made the wait longer.
all rides seem sketchy to me...
Had a local town fair and the rides all squeaked and were rusted as shit. My kids wanted to ride them, and while I know I would have as a kid, I was like helllllll nah!
The traveling carnivals freak me out 🎡 Thwres no way I’m getting on a Gravitron, pirates swing, ferriswheel, or any giant contraption they brought in on a truck!🛻 🎡 😂
I was an attractions operator trainer at a ~ major theme park ~. We had over 40 hours of training as well as multiple assessments and consistent, daily audits. To send an operator loose after 1.5h is absolutely bonkers.
This was HORRID and we only found out how HORRIFIC THE INJURIES WERE FROM OVERSEAS MEDIA !!! The Australian media led us to believe they just drowned ....not that they got so awfully munched in the machinery !! Just disgusting trying to cover those tourism dollars !!!!
Thank you for covering Dr Grande 😊
This is correct, none of them drowned.
@@tigerwarsaw99 yep and the fact they tried to make it sound less bad is even more awful 😖 thank God overseas media don't care about tourism dollars over people!!!
You're absolutely right. I also find it even more horrific that the local police deemed the park not negligent for the deaths. Seems Ardent Leisure Group made a backroom deal from the start. Glad to see that Ardent finally had to pay out (even though it is probably a drop in the bucket for them.)
Wow your media is way more evil than ours in US!
@@ThompsonTurvy this is the QLD police we are talking about. The level of incompetence and corruption is beyond belief.
No other RUclipsr is as simultaneously informative, funny, and calming as Dr. G.
I remember this story being so so horrifying when it happened. Almost every Aussie and their family had been on this ride at some point in their life. Unimaginable tragedy that could have happened to anyone. It still plays in my mind when attending a theme park.
In the investigation it was revealed much of the electrical wiring was akin to a rats nest, patch fix over patch fix. But honestly where were the Queensland Government inspectors considering Dreamworld was one of the key Tourist theme parks in the area. DrG if you need a really curious story from this same area of Australia look into the Bray Park fireworks incident. A 11 year old girl was killed and nine others were seriously injured in an explosion at a school fireworks display in Brisbane. This fireworks display was looked over by Explosives inspections prior to the incident. This single incident triggered a total reworking of the fireworks industry in Queensland. To me it all says a core connection with whats going wrong is the Government inspectors who's job it is to ensure theme parks & firework displays are not lethal.
MrBallen has a LOT of scary stories that took place in Australia... in fact, those are usually the scariest to me! The Land of Oz is a great place with wonderful folks, but y'all have too many animals and even plants that want to merk ya! One of the freakiest was a hiker who was found dead, but cause of death was a mystery until a botanist suggested they look for a particular plant. Sure enough, this lethal plant was the culprit. He hiked through the stuff, not knowing that just brushing against it would be lethal. 😳
I still wish I could move there. My dad spent two years working in Australia in the mid 1960s at the Joint Defence military base, Pine Gap, near Alice Springs. He loved it, and almost accepted a permanent job there, we were going to move to Alice and I was so excited! Mom was not, so it didn't happen.😒
I still don't know what they did at Pine Gap, I guess if he told us he'd have to kill us! I asked him what he did there when I was seven yrs old, his answer was, "We are watching Russia, who is watching US!"
Say what you want about America, but if this had happened in the 'States it would be a lawyers' orgy, so many lawsuits would be filed. Both Dreamworks and Bray park would have been sued into oblivion, and rightfully so.
As a child I loved thrill rides, there wasn't one I wouldn't get on. In my early 20's I developed a great fear of heights and thrill rides of any kind. But something like this ride I'd honestly get on with my children. Always felt like raft rides were extremely safe. Never heard of this incident, definitely an eye opener.
I always thought these water rides were safe myself after hearing about this incident I will be extra cautious going forward it’s just sad what they went thru I feel like the 5 million was just a slap on the wrist the loss of 4 lives is worth way more than that
No, quite the opposite. I've worked over 38 different rides and attractions, and ridden hundreds, but these water rides legitimately scare me. Way too much that could go wrong, and they have a horrible track record.
@@MontagnaMagica make a video informing the public things like this happen when people don’t share important information ℹ️
@@cbronsonda13th37I don't have those particular public speaking skills, but there's no secrets. It's just a lot of moving parts and unpredictable/difficult to control water. By and large, they are safe attractions, far safer than how you traveled to the park. But compared to other rides, they are less safe. There have been several incidents. The main issue that can happen is when boats get stuck somewhere and bump into each other. Again, this is quite a rare occurrence, but it's more likely to happen than anything I can envision happening on a roller coaster.
@@MontagnaMagicaanother component to this is rider ignorance... Most people have no idea that they’re basically on a conveyor belt that is submerged under water. That’s why they’re so confident unbuckling and standing up while the tide is moving. They have no idea the potential dangers looming in the water.
I live about 15 minutes from Dreamworld. I'm 43 now but when I was a kid my parents would take us to Dreamworld every year or two. We noticed that after the takeover that Dreamworld lost the Disney World type magic that it once had and it became a leanly run business that was all about profits. I agree that the culture became very relaxed over the years and the hiring policy was questionable.
I 100% agree with you… I’m 47 and Dreamworld lost its magic many many years ago…
I was surprised how rust everything was. Implied slack maintenance, rust was everywhere, you didnt need to go looking it was obvious.
Profit-chasing leads to literal carnage
I live in Queensland, and when this happened it shocked the entire country. Usually things like this do not happen in a place like Australia. We have some pretty stringent Standards. It's stupefying that a machine like this managed to slip through the gaps for so long. This disaster was inevitable and avoidable.
Not stringent enough obviously!!! Third world standards more like it.
Agree. I used to think Dreamworld was safer than going to the Ekka. 😂😂😂 those rides undergo way more safety checks. I'll never go back to Dreamworld as long as I live.
Interesting that you said “slip through the gaps”. That made my stomach churn for a moment. 🤢
@@smallbee1234 someone finally got it! You win a ham and jelly sandwich.....but ya gotta buy the ingredients and make it yourself.
I have been going to Dreamworld since the 80’s and have been on that ride at least 100 times. The day it happened sent horrific shock through our community 😔 my thoughts and condolences are always with the brave souls who lost their lives and with their courageous families.
I remember when this happened, they were interviewing one of the paramedics and he said something that has stayed with me. He said the injuries that were sustained were not compatable with life. Never forgot it and never been to Dream World since 😳
The most horrible part is that implies theh were STILL ALIVE shortly after or before that!
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 sorry just to correct you - 'injuries incompatible with life' is a medical term used to describe a situation where the deceased was guaranteed not to survive (i.e decapitation, complete cranial destruction etc) it doesnt mean they were still alive when paramedics arrived on scene, I dont know whether knowing their bodies were so crushed it was impossible to survive makes it a better picture but I hope for their sake it was over quickly, such a horrible tragedy.
There’s no way any of those folks were conscious more than a few seconds after encountering the machinery. From shock to, brain/spine injury, chest injury, they would have lost consciousness immediately. Thank god they didn’t have cellphone cameras back then.
The most scary thing is that the water rides are generally considered one of the most safe rides when you compare them to rollercoasters and other rides that flip you in the air. My condolences to everyone involved in this tragedy.
The only reason that's true is because there aren't as many water rides as there are roller coasters.
Yes when you account for numbers it's the other way round. I read water rides are the most dangerous.
@@kinosgardenthey are, just by the nature of their ride vehicles (boats, rafts, etc). i'm a coaster operator at a park with water rides, including one right next to my coaster. the amount of times they've had to stop the ride to tell people to sit tf down is crazy. you can't simply stand up on something like a large coaster with locking restraints. but on a boat with a lap bar you pull down, or a seatbelt-like strap, that's a different story
@@kinosgardenlet me also add that my bf worked at a nearby park where he was trained at a raft-type water ride. his first day of training included the operators and maintenance team draining the water from the ride in order to evacuate guests, bc the control operator saw on the cameras that some guy had fully unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up. the operator immediately hit the emergency stop, the water drained, and they yeeted the dude out of there. some people play around w their safety and the safety of others and it sucks
“Water rides” is a pretty broad brush. I’d be willing to believe water slides are safer because they don’t have nearly as many mechanical parts that can fail, but river rapids type rides are almost certainly at least as dangerous as any roller coaster.
Dr Grande, may I request that you do a video on the David family from Utah? On August 4th 1978, Immanuel David jumped to his death from a Utah hotel. As horrific as that was, the situation was even darker as he had convinced his wife to jump after him along with their 7 children. Only one child survived, a teen girl.
My understanding is that it was yet again another case of a religious fundamentalist who had declared himself to be a prophet. What type of personality lends itself to such extreme religious beliefs and practices? What kind of mother blindly follows her husband to her death? Lastly, what kind of parents are willing to kill their own children in the name of religion?
Thank you as always!
This is one of the saddest videos from Dr. Grande. The children will carry this with them forever. Four people who did nothing wrong are gone. It is good to bring attention to how dangerous some of these rides are.
Thank you Dr Grande. What a chilling nightmare! I can only imagine the trauma that the sweet children have gone through.
We will always support you, Dr Grande. Keep up the good work.
I’m surprised no one was charged with something. Surely missing slats, which enabled the car to jam in between could have been fixed. Also, whoever made the decision to keep the ride operating when the pump failed TWICE should be held accountable. Those poor children.
I honestly can't even fathom having to go through this . The poor family and the ones who witnessed it and tried to help. 😢
When accidents happen at theme parks its usually very gruesome due to the velocity of rides. Excellent analysis & points again. Thanks Dr G😊💟💟
The horrible thing about this ride is that it was always considered a safe family ride for the whole family. Like you'd take your grandma on it. Little did we all know it was the most dangerous the whole time.
@@koobie83 Unfortunately any ride is dangerous. Some accidents are operator error or mechanical failure, some are rider fault (height or weight restrictions overriden, they stand up or loosen belts etc). Sometimes it's just fate & bad luck. Yes this one more tame but certainly not the most dangerous. Roller coasters have many more accidents🎡🎠🎢🎪
I have photos on this ride since I was a kid. As an adult I remember taking my 7,4&2yo kids on it 🤯
Wow! How tragic 😥. I went to Dreamworld with my kids in 2014. I am shocked to hear about this terrible accident. I was so relieved to hear that the children escaped. However, the trauma of losing their parents in such a horrendous way will never leave them 😢.
This was truly horrific and sad. And the public are probably at way more risk than we could possibly realize on so many of these stupid rides.
As an Aussie, living in QLD I was and still am sad about this case.I can not believe people still go there. Once you start going down the theme park rabbit hole/ algorythym it's so disturbing. I will never let my kids go on rides and I don't do it myself.
Yes and no. Larger more known theme parks that have proudly boasted a record of safely (like Disney) are some of the safest recreation parks to visit. Dreamland was acquired by another company which placed profits over safely.
I can't even remember how many times I have been on that ride, I grew up just down the road from Dreamworld. This incident was described to me by a paramedic who was there, and who followed the case closely, as a tragedy of errors. What disappointed me as someone who at the time was looking to study paramedicine was the public backlash over the use of "injuries incompatible with life" in statements to the media, when it is honestly the nicest way of putting what tragically happened to these people
I have to tell you that after I was done processing everything that went on here, I feel as bad for Courtney as the families as she has to carry this horrendous burden, and it was her first day on the freaking job. 💔
I don’t feel as bad for her as for the two children, but I do feel bad for her too. Hardly anyone would have acted differently in her position but she must be wracked with guilt anyway.
@@CedarMountainsnowPut the kids last on the sympathy list? I'd think this astoundingly gruesome scene would leave ANYONE who witnessed it with just horrible trauma and I can't assign "levels" of sympathy... The only people in this situation that I don't feel sorry for are the owners who should have been held liable personally -
Like the water park accident in Kansas that the Doc described a few days ago,, these rides always have built-in dangers simply because they are meant to give people a thrill of some sort... and the design factors of the ride always include extremely powerful machinery that has to work absolutely perfectly to even maintain the absolute minimum safety requirements required to both give people a fairly safe ride and give them whatever thrill the ride is supposed to impart...
BUT like the water park accident in Kansas this accident in Australia also included machinery that wasn't designed correctly and even a cursory inspection by somebody who knows the slightest bit about such thing would conclude that further safety concerns should be addressed...... This of course translates into money, and imo both sets of CEOs criminally scrimped on the inspections,, and their failure to redesign their rides to a higher standard of safety imo should be answered with criminal charges and not just a fine....
@@icturner23 Newsflash: We can feel bad for both the operator and the children at the same time.
Yea I was thinking this as well.. she was probably excited for the new job and even greeted the people getting into the rafts.. poor girl 😢
I don't know, her excuses were evasive and didn't indicate she felt any guilt at all.
This really rocked Australia. Dreamworld was always thought of such a happy place. All I could think was for the poor families n those that witnessed it. That ride was one of the most popular, i went on it at 5yrs old in 1987-88
ive been to dreamworld on multiple occasions when i was younger before this happened, and the thing that is so shocking about this is that it's one of the more chill and family friendly rides. you'd think a disaster would happen on one of the bigger rides like the 115 meter tall tower of terror, but no. knowing ive been on the ride, it horrifying to think about how it could of been me and my family
My last visit to Dreamworld was in 2014. My seatbelt unclicked by itself on the Tower of Terror and the padded harness lifted up off my shoulders slightly. I was so terrified! I thought it was going to come off altogether but I pulled down on it and clutched on for dear life. When back at the bottom, I told the ride operator what had happened and he laughed and said “but did you die?”
How absolutely tragic. I hope that the surviving children were able to get help. I can’t even imagine how traumatic that day was. I’m glad that you bring attention to cases like this. Incompetence that leads to death should be exposed
What a great analysis. As an Australian, I remember this case well. I think just about anybody who followed the story here was somewhat traumatised by the descriptions in the media of what happened to these poor people. May they R.I.P. Anyone who rolls their eyes when they are required by employers to undertake OH&S training (I've seen plenty of them) should give themselves an uppercut. Thank you Dr Grande.
I agree completely with Dr Grande’s analysis on this. I haven’t been since 1998 but, as local kids, we had season passes and went to Dreamworld as often as our parents would allow. As early as 7 or 8 years old, I remember on the “log ride” and the “mine shaft ride” and later this “rapid river ride” my friends and I would remark about how dangerous it would be if someone fell out and got caught in all the gears. It was part of the scary fun for us at that age.
When this happened I actually felt a pang of guilt for once laughing about it. It was so tragic and terrible especially because it was so preventable. Looking back, it would have been easy for the park to make the rides safer. For decades, the park owners cared more about the cost and aesthetics than about safety. There should have been criminal charges.
I live just out of Brisbane and have been to Dreamworld soo many times, on this ride many times. I remember how huge this story was. The ride seemed so safe. I am sorry to those who lost their lives
Im glad you mentioned that there are usually multiple problems and mistakes that caused this accident. I have noticed that with many disasters, just like the Titanic. If just one safety rule had been enforced, it never would have happened. Safety protocol should always come first.
I went on this ride for years from when it first opened right up until before this happened. Strangely over the years I became more nervous every time even though it was considered a soft fun family ride.
Eventually when I would go on it with my children I’d get super anxious and would tell my then husband that if the raft tipped we should each grab one child and get to the edge. My family teased me endlessly and thought I was ridiculous. The last time I couldn’t get on it and my then husband took the kids without me which was worse and I almost had a panic attack. I felt so stupid at the time but I just felt like it would flip over and we would drown.
The day this happened we watched the news and my kids just stared at me. They still mention how I was chill at first then became more scared as the years went on until this happened.
Intuition. I’m so sorry that you were right. Glad you are all ok.
I’m so absolutely glad you guys are okay and sorry you went through that. how do you reconcile that instinct to know the ride was dangerous?
@@pureoxin8135she probably saw the ride deteriorate over time. Also, there were several incidents where the ride was shut down. I’m sure that was made public over the years.
I remember i was at dreamworld 4 days before this happened, you used to be able to see the river rapids ride from above while on the giant drop ride, and i remember thinking at the time how all that machinery moving underneath the water seemed scarier than the giant drop. Thanks for covering Dr. G
I was still a little confused on how the ride is set up . Is the machinery under water or did they fall straight into the machines? How is there not a net or something. All 4 people fell through a small gap?
@@Whocares1987 Only the side of the raft fell into the gap. The machinery was under the water, but with the force of being plunged into the water, the victims immediately came into contact with it.
Every time I think I want to go to an amusement park this year I see a bunch of stories like this and are reminded there's safer fun things to spend my money on and I'll probably be better off 😬
Such a tragedy that could have been prevented.
Those poor people who were killed. It is such a tragic accident.
I used to love that ride as a kid. RIP, victims. A horrible way to leave this earth.
I don't think there would be an Aussie who wasn't seriously affected by this disaster. Not to mention the family, friends, and witnesses to the horror.
It felt like the entire country went into a state of mourning. I live in Victoria, so almost as far south as you can go from Queensland and still be in Aus, but the days seemed greyer, people were just walking around like zombies, incapable of taking in what had just occurred.
Thank you for continuing to cover Aussie cases Dr Grande
Cannot tell if serious.
@@eadweard. Yes.....?? Wtf why would someone think I wasn't? Because I used the word zombies? Dude
@@skunkrat01 Well it's so absurdly melodramatic and overblown that I thought it might satirical.
@@eadweard. Well that was my experience of how things were. What was yours?
I don't think being gloomy about four people crushed to death in front of kids/family/friends/park attendees/workers is melodramatic but you do you.
@@skunkrat01 Well I'm fairly confident I've already made my point convincingly. If you're equally happy with your own performance then maybe you'll join me in inviting the fair-minded reader to review our exchange and form their own conclusions.
Thank you Dr Grande ❤ for covering this awful tragedy, I live in Australia I don't think anyone here will ever forget what happened to the victims on the Thunder River Rapids Ride. My heart breaks for the 4 people that lost their lives in the most horrible avoidable way. Theme parks need to put there customers safety first. To those who witnessed this tragedy I can imagine this will haunt them forever 😢
I'm glad that the kids got out, but oh my gosh, how traumatic for these babies. 😢 It's terrifying to think that such an innocuous looking ride could deal out such carnage. This type of ride is exactly what would have attracted me to the park.
This accident was awful. I think most Aussies if they've been to QLD, they've gone to Dreamworld. I have. I've ridden that ride. It seemed like one of the most low key, less extreme rides. No one even thinks about the conveyor mechanism beneath you. Clearly this came down to profit over safety and lack of or poor training. I feel terrible for the people who witnessed this horror and the loved ones of those killed. 😢 From what I've heard it was a very distressing scene.
That gap looks so obviously suspect next to the thickness of the pod. It looks like a cookie falling into a mouth. Like they were made for each other. Poor people. Not shutting off the ride at first south pump fail was a crime. That supervisor and his higher ups obviously perpetrated a culture of negligence that resulted in the death of those people. Money > peoples lives, very sad
😢
I work in an industrial setting that features equipment very similar to this, although for a very different purpose. It is absolutely shocking that the 'conveyor with flights' was designed in the way it was where it dumped the rafts onto the next set of rails. Also, the system of training they had at this park is absolutely dumbfounding, I thought there were government systems in place to act as an oversight for machinery like this that carry people. Those 4 adults never had a chance, they would have gone from being startled at the raft lifting up to being dead within less than a minute.
A friend of mine did a vacation job in a theme park. She had to operate several different rides. They just showed her how to make it start and stop. Safety regulations were not even mentioned… that and the fact that she was only 17 years old was to me a terrifying revelation. I never ever went on any ride again, not on a carnival or in a theme park. Too many accidents that involve mechanical or human malfunction have caused horrible deaths. I witnessed a ride that had stoped upside down and kept stuck that way for over half an hour. People that were trapped were fainting from hanging upside down. One person panicked and tried to climb out resulting in falling down and breaking both of his legs and having a severe skull fracture.
Being stuck upside down must have been horrifying. But unbuckling was just plane stupid. lol.
I so enjoy watching your videos, you put so much passion in them and help all of us appreciate the circumstances of all actions people decide to make on a daily basis!
Oh crap. This summer we got stuck on a similar ride just feet from the end. We were there 30 minutes or so before they had to help us off. No idea how everyone else got off. I honestly never considered death was a possibility.
So if I'd been shakier than I was that day and lost my footing getting out, there's a chance I could've been killed by the machinery? I only worried about if I fell in I'd get my phone wet.
@@moomyung9231oh definitely 100%
@@moomyung9231Your phone would've gotten wet...
Get your phone wet? Insurance? Bags of rice or silica gel? I honestly don't even think of it Minus the part where you can't charge it as long as you have the water drop icon. And old phones are ALWAYS on the charger, and internal drying can take hours.
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 rice & silica don't work. When batteries were removable, I had a method that worked that involved a tub of 97% pure isopropyl alcohol.
I’m from Australia, we often went to the Gold Coast when I was young to have a family holiday. We had gone to Dreamworld many times. Both my mum and one of my brothers are terrified of rollercoasters but always got on this ride with us and they never found it ‘scary’. It was always seen as the family friendly ride, I was on it at 6/7 years old. A lot of people see Dreamworld differently now, I know the times I go to the Gold Coast now as an adult visiting I never go there and choose to visit the other parks instead. So heartbreaking, sending loves to the victims family and friends.
I'm not familiar with ride safety standards in Australia, but in California, safety systems are required to be checked each day before operations begin. This includes functional tests of all emergency stops, on which all operators and maintenance personnel must be trained and tested before they are certified. It is also an industry standard to have water level sensors on rides like this which would shut it down if the level was too low. If Dreamland failed to ensure the ride could be stopped in an emergency, they were clearly responsible for this tragedy. I'm glad they at least they had the decency to tear down the ride.
Dr Grande that is the best video you’ve done - very succinct with the detail. Although I enjoy your usual creative irony in the analysis of other cases, I’m so glad you didn’t do it this time. Well done - very respectful…classy. That is not a fact, just my opinion, on your opinion. 😊
Hearing about this horrible tragedy makes me not feel so odd because of my fear of these ride parks. I have never trusted the safety of these parks. The ride operators have always seemed to me to be underpaid and poorly trained, while the people on top laugh all the way to the bank with no regard for their patrons. Those poor children had to witness this nightmare.
I love your sense of humor. You make my day with it. Thank you!
Hearing about all these horrific and completely unavoidable "accidents", the world would greatly need an independent group of skilled people like mechanical, and electrical engineers, firefighters, physicists, etc. that goes around the world and detect both obvious and more obscure safety issues and post them to the web, like a Yelp site for safety.
Dr. Grande has the most interesting ( if often sad and murderous!) topics! I always come to this channel first.
From watching videos by Dr. Grande, how about a drinking game, one sip if he mentions ‘sensation seeking’ and ‘life, without the possibility of parole’
Another masterclass of information and empathy, thank you.
That report sounds like a "Finsl Destination" scene. Dying at an amusement park has a strange irony to it.
What a sad story! Poor business and safety protocols are rampant, even with regulations. Thank you for bringing the victims’ story to us, Dr. G!
The Swiss Cheese model - eventually, all the problems (“holes,” lapses, blindspots) in operation or procedure line up, and tragedy happens. I won’t forget these poor people, or the children.
I live half an hour from Dreamworld, it is a beloved, favourite place of the childhoods of most of us. Once we were on it and just before our raft reached the start of the conveyor, it stalled and a side gate thing swung open, us floating out into this small lagoon area. It was maybe a minute or two before a group of staff ran out and arranged a solution.
It sucks for Dreamworld as a theme park relies on being a place of magic. Now when you go there, it is still great, but has a slight air of sadness to it given the tragedy.
The EMS workers that were first on scene and the investigators, police, people there that directly witnessed it... They must carry what they saw 😢
That would definitely fuck me up long term
That side eye at the beginning of each video is how I look at the other mums as we gather at the scholl gates at pick-up 😂
How horrific for the children and witnesses and what an awful way to die.
Reminds me of the accident on ‘The Smiler’ in the UK. Not fatal but people were stuck for hours with crushed limbs. Amputations followed.
Damn😮
This is happening now in the aviation industry. I was on a amusment park ride once that was way out of my league as l was too small for the ride and my sister didn't notice. I was falling on my head over and over. Maybe thats what happened to me. On a separate note, Oh my God what a horrifying and chilling happening! I'm so angry at this theme park.
These are the things I imagine happening when I go on these rides (used to) and cant get it out of my head.
I so hope Dr Grande does an analysis of the wrongful and scandalous prosecution of hundreds of British Post Office operators by the Post Office here in the UK.
I’d love to see this one too
That's horrific. We have the same ride at Paramount Canada's Wonderland near Toronto. It's called White Water Canyon. I'm surprised the conveyor design hasn't changed after this Australian disaster....
Dreamworld is Just down the road from my Home! Can’t wait to listen to this.
Hi Dr Grande
As a Queenslander, this news came to me and all of us here in Queensland and Australia is a massive shock of disbelief and horror. No one expects this to happen but it did right at home in our backyard. Many people including myself rode this many times and have many happy memories, it’s such a shame it ended the way it did.
A lot of people boycotted Dreamworld following this tragedy and it’s also worth mentioning that Dreamworld itself closed for quite a substantial period of time after the tragedy and lost millions of dollars as a result and to many this news was music to the ears.
Many are still skeptical of Dreamworld and still to this day refuse to visit the park. I visited the in 2022 and it’s just not the same anymore without the TRR ride.
Thank you for covering this topic, I and many other Australians who watch you appreciate your unbiased and open opinions of cases in Australia .
- Mike
i'm gonna go ahead and say that they should probably train ride operators for AT LEAST several days before they can operate the ride, not an hour and a half before they can operate the ride, that's so scary to think about being on a ride and the operators don't even know what the buttons do.
I edited this comment to add that, when i worked at teavana they trained me for a while before i could even *sell* tea, i needed to know what i was talking about. I don't get how they can't train an employee in charge of people's lives as much as the starbucks company trained me just to sell tea.
Dr. Grande, you need some LIVE cacti! I collect cacti myself, and this always (slightly) irks me when I see your background 😂! Though I get real plants can be a pain, you can easily pop for one or two?!? Heck, I would happily send you one if you would enjoy that??!?! Just let me know 😊! I will gift you a stunner 👍🏻!
One of the biggest challenges when companies act criminally is determining who is responsible for the crime. Accountability is purposefully obtuse. In a culture where money is the only consideration, people who care about safety, ethics, etc. are drummed out of the organization very quickly and blamed for their own demise.
I read the Post-Mortem Report and fortunately for all four of the deceased, they wouldn't have been alive long enough to have felt much pain, if any at all.
On the other hand, simply forcing negligent companies to pay few million dollars is typically written off as merely the cost of doing business. Judges need to start forcing these companies to pay out sums that would leave a lasting impression (I'm thinking a fraction of their annual revenue).
It was a tragic day for Australian and Queenslanders. I never forget the head of the paramedic team saying ‘the injuries were inconsistent with life’😢 a year or two later in QLD the industrial manslaughter came to action making people responsible criminally with prison term in similar circumstances Alas! too late for these victims.
Dr Grande is finally touching on the most important topic we've all been waiting for.
that and the mushroom poisoning
I don’t think I’ll be getting on any rides anymore or allowing my baby to get on them when he grows up. This just makes me so scared. These freak accidents seem to be more common than we’d think. That waterside accident video from last week had me messed up!RIP to those people 😞
do I want to ask what waterslide accident video?
@@CastledarkDweller27 ruclips.net/video/VkiZRgAPgoY/видео.htmlsi=hLQm3izcy4wGknUG
@@CastledarkDweller27😥😥😥
@@cindyguevara3175 schlitterbahn park
I live about 20 minutes from this theme park in South Brisbane... I have been to the theme park more times than I can count and have been on this ride heaps of times... it was actually considered by myself and friends as a lame ride, not very exciting, just for kids kind of ride. When we heard about this tragedy we were overwhelmingly upset and sad. This stays with me today 😢