More details have emerged about the circumstances in which a man died after riding a roller coaster at a Universal theme park in Orlando.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala became unresponsive while on the Stardust Racers ride at the Epic Universe park on 17 September, and was pronounced dead after arriving at hospital.
A medical examiner concluded that the 32-year-old died from 'multiple blunt impact injuries' but did not specify where on the body the injuries were or how they're believed to have been inflicted.
While the cause of his injuries still remains unknown to the public, an incident report from the Orange County Sheriff's Office seen by People says officials were informed Zavala had a preexisting spinal injury, and had been taking medicine.
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Photos posted by his family show him using a wheelchair.
Meanwhile, a report from the Orange County Fire Rescue includes a non-emergency call in which officials were asked to respond to a patient who had a laceration. When they emergency service arrived at the park, Zavala wasn't breathing and CPR was already ongoing. The publication doesn't specify who made the call to fire rescue or why it was deemed a non-emergency.
The report says he was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead just after 10pm local time, while a deputy also transported his girlfriend.
Investigations into the tragic incident are still ongoing and the ride remains closed to the public at this time, however, internal emails sent from a Universal boss say the ride was in normal working order.
Universal Orlando Resort President and COO Karen Irwin told staff that internal findings confirmed 'the ride systems functioned as intended, equipment was intact at the ride's start, throughout the duration of the ride and upon the ride vehicle's return to the station, and our team members followed procedures'.
Irwin, who has worked for Universal for 35 years, told colleagues that 'few moments have been as difficult as this one', while praising them for their 'resilience, compassion and professionalism' during throughout the tragic incident.
"The attraction remains closed as we continue to work through a comprehensive review process in cooperation with the ride manufacturer of record," she said.
"Safety is, and always will be, at the forefront of everything we do."
A report from NBC Miami says investigators from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services also found the ride to be working correctly.
Zavala's family have since paid tribute to him and his 'unwavering spirit', describing him as 'the kind of person who always made time to listen, offer thoughtful advice, and lift others up, even when he was facing challenges of his own'.
Topics: Theme Park, US News
Emma Rosemurgey