Daytona Beach roller coaster passed inspection hours before derailment

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The roller coaster that derailed in Daytona Beach, sending six people to the hospital Thursday night, failed a state inspection nearly a month ago after authorities found a series of safety flaws.

Excessive corrosion, a crack in the tracks and a damaged seat were among eight problems cited in a May 17 inspection report filed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, records show.

But according to a follow-up report obtained by The Associated Press, those issues were corrected by the time inspectors returned to check out the Sand Blaster coaster hours before the derailment.

A spokeswoman for the Consumer Services department issued a statement Friday, acknowledging a thorough inspection the same day as the incident found the ride "in compliance with state law."

"We have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident, and anyone who should be held accountable will be held accountable," said spokeswoman Jennifer Meale.

Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam expounded on the investigation into the incident during an interview Friday with News4Jax.

"We know that we are dealing with a ride that had inspection issues in the past that we are digging into, mostly related to corrosion being right there on the saltwater," said Putnam. "We know that it had been cleared for riders to come on board not too long before the accident occurred."

Two people plummeted 34 feet to the ground when the derailment happened about 8:30 p.m., sending one car off the tracks entirely and leaving another car dangling precariously in the air, police said.

A Daytona Beach Fire Department spokesperson said six people were hospitalized as a result of the derailment, including two with potentially critical injuries. The status of those hospitalized was not immediately clear Friday.

"They had a crew on the ground who was responsible for securing the dangling car, which was the front car, to make sure it didn't fall anymore, nor did the two remaining passengers fall out either," said spokesperson Sasha Staton.

According to a police incident report, a passerby called police following the incident, saying he had seen two men, possibly maintenance staff, working on the roller coaster about 9:45 a.m. Friday.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported the roller coaster is 40 years old. It opened on the Boardwalk in August 2013 after it was relocated from a closed amusement park in Delaware.

According to the News-Journal, a group of teens who rode the Sand Blaster about 5 p.m. Friday saw someone working on a ride brake mechanism roughly three hours before the incident.

"He had a welding tool and he was about 5 feet from the brake mechanism. I saw them welding something and later, I was like, 'Oh, wow. That was the brakes," Zach Grant told the newspaper.