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Walt Disney World monorail crash kills employee

AP 07/06/2009 21:45
Walt Disney World monorail crash kills employee - USA - Disney World - Orlando - Florida - accident


Officials at Walt Disney World Resort were investigating what caused the first fatal accident in the 38-year history of the park's Monorail, a one-time symbol of founder Walt Disney's vision for future transportation.



Two of the monorail's trains collided early Sunday in the park's Magic Kingdom section, killing one of the train's operators, emergency officials said.

At least five guests were treated at the scene for minor injuries, authorities said. The other train's operator was not injured, but was emotionally shaken and taken to a hospital.

The transit system, which shuttles thousands of visitors around the sprawling resort each day, was shut down while authorities investigated.

"To see the accident, to see the scene of what had happened and the fact that there was a life that was lost, it was very sad. It was very somber," said Bo Jones, deputy chief for Reedy Creek Fire Department.

Disney's senior spokesman Michael Griffin identified the driver as 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg. Griffin would not discuss how long Wuennenberg had been with Disney or the circumstances surrounding the crash. Disney officials also declined to discuss how the monorail system operates.

"They are extremely rare," Griffin said of accidents at the park. "The safety of our guests and cast are a top priority above all else."

Source

Check out the raw footage of monorail crash aftermath [Source: Click Orlando]:




 

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