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An amusement park in Tennessee has closed one of its rides after a deadly fall from a similar attraction in Florida.
Rollercoasters are meant to be a fun way for people to experience a bit of risk and adrenaline, but one unexpected event can quickly turn a fun trip to a theme park into the stuff of nightmares. That's what happened last week when a teen fell to their death from a free-fall ride at an amusement park in Florida.
On Thursday (March 24), a 14-year-old boy fell from the Orlando Free Fall ride at ICON Park in Orlando, which was billed as the world's tallest free-standing drop tower at 430 feet tall, per WATE. He was taken to a hospital but died from his injuries.
Following news of the teen's death, Dollywood in Pigeon Forge announced it was temporarily closing its own 230-foot-tall Drop Line tower attraction, per News Channel 5. While Dollywood's ride isn't the same as the one involved in the deadly fall, both attractions were developed by the same manufacturer.
"We are deeply saddened to hear of the heartbreaking accident at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida," said Dollywood Public Relations Director Wes Ramey. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this unimaginably difficult time."
Ramey continued, "Although Dollywood does not have the specific ride involved in this tragic incident, the safety of our guests is our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution, and until further details about the accident at ICON Park are known, we have temporarily closed Drop Line, our drop tower ride that was developed by the same manufacturer."
As of Monday (March 28), it is unclear when the Drop Line attraction at Dollywood will reopen.