Teen boy dies after falling from drop tower ride at Orlando's ICON Park

Ginny Beagan, Florida Today
·2 min read
The Orlando FreeFall at ICON Park is the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower, according to the park. Once the thirty riders reach the top, the ride tilt forwards before free falling at speeds reaching over 75 mph.
The Orlando FreeFall at ICON Park is the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower, according to the park. Once the thirty riders reach the top, the ride tilt forwards before free falling at speeds reaching over 75 mph.

A 14-year-old died Thursday night after falling from the drop tower ride at ICON Park in Orlando, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

A 911 call alerted police and paramedics, who responded to the scene of the popular tourist attraction on International Drive around 11 p.m.

The boy, who hasn't yet been identified, was brought to a hospital, but died of his injuries, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

A video of the tragic incident has been circulating on social media, reports say.

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14-year-old dies after fall from amusement park ride at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida

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Orlando Free Fall tower

The Orlando Free Fall tower, which opened less than four months ago, rises 430 feet and is touted as the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower, according to the attraction. Riders board a vehicle that brings them to the top of the tower, tilts 30 degrees to face the ground briefly and then drops down, reaching a speed of over 75 mph. The ride brakes about 45 feet above the ground.

ICON Park is a gate-free, open-air environment with 20 acres of space.
ICON Park is a gate-free, open-air environment with 20 acres of space.

Slingshot Group operate the ride

The drop tower ride and the adjacent Slingshot ride are operated by the Slingshot Group. John Stine, director of sales and marketing for the company, told local news outlets the boy was wearing a safety harness at the time of the accident. He also expressed the company's condolences and said the Free Fall ride will be closed indefinitely.

In this April 23, 2020 file photo, the Orlando Starflyer swing ride remains closed on a deserted International Drive as the response to the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on the entertainment, shopping and dining district south of downtown Orlando, Fla. A worker doing an inspection on the popular central Florida thrill ride was killed Monday, Sept. 14 after falling more than 50 feet (15.2 meters).

Prior incident at ICON Park

In 2020, a 21-year-old worker died after falling 50 to 60 feet from the StarFlyer attraction. The man was conducting a safety check on the ride, a 450-foot spinning swing ride when he fell.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: ICON Park: Boy falls from amusement ride in Orlando