Updated at 9.22pm
FOUR PEOPLE HAVE been seriously injured after a collision between two carriages on a Alton Towers rollercoaster.
Reports are now emerging that the ride was experiencing technical difficulties earlier in the day.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it received a call at about 2.09pm today following an incident on The Smiler rollercoaster at the Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire – where a moving carriage collided with an empty stationary one.
A platform has been built up in order for emergency services to reach the occupants on the ride who are approximately 25 feet up in the air at an angle of about 45 degrees.
The 12 others injured received less serious injuries, emergency services said.
Some passengers were stuck on the rollercoaster for several hours, with the final person removed from the ride by 6.30pm.
Community first responders based at the theme park were first on scene and four ambulances, the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford as well as specialist paramedics were sent to the scene.
Sky News reports that one visitor to Alton Towers has claimed that he was stuck on the rollercoaster earlier in the day.
“People were stuck on The Smiler a couple of hours ago, they let the ride stay open and two carriages collide,” he tweeted.
Here’s a video of the type of rollercoaster on which the accident happened:
The Smiler opened in May 2013 and holds the official Guinness World Record for most loops in a rollercoaster, according to the Alton Towers website.
The BBC reports that Merlin Entertainment, which runs the resort, said in a statement: “There has been an incident on the Smiler this afternoon involving two carriages coming together on a low section of the track. One of the carriages was empty and the other had 16 guests in.
“The Resort’s fully qualified First Responders were on the scene immediately to assist with the evacuation which is ongoing, and the area has been closed to allow for access to emergency services vehicles. To ensure the safe and timely evacuation of guests a platform is being constructed. This will take a few minutes but will enable us to proceed more quickly.
There will be a full investigation once we have recovered the guests who are our priority.
Originally published 3.30pm. Additional reporting by Nicky Ryan.
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