Park bill passed
The House of Representatives has passed a bill giving the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) broader authority over amusement parks.
The bill is designed to curb the rise in amusement park ride accidents, but it also extends the commission’s authority over buildings and facilities located on amusement park grounds.
The bill to strengthen CPSC authority may have been passed as a result of a fatal fire that occurred in May 1984 at Six Flags’ Great Adventure Theme Park in Jackson Township, NJ (see FIRE ENGINEERING, August 1984).
The fire killed 8 people. Investigations show some factors leading to the deaths were highly flammable exhibit materials and a lack of adequate automatic life safety systems.
