A theme park employee has reportedly died during routine maintenance at a popular attraction in Tokyo, Japan.
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The incident took place at Tokyo Dome City Attractions on the "Flying Balloon" ride. The worker reportedly became trapped inside the ride's mechanism.
Officials said the employee was "trapped for an extended period inside the mechanism of an attraction ride," prompting a major emergency response.
Theme Park Worker Dies During Maintenance Accident in Tokyo
According to NHK World Japan, police have identified the worker as 24-year-old Kamimura Hina.
Rescue efforts lasted several hours, with personnel working for approximately five hours to free her from the machinery. Despite their efforts, she was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
"During routine maintenance work on the ride, one of our employees became trapped within the ride's gondola mechanism," the theme park company said.
"Following rescue operations, the employee was transported to a hospital, where their death was subsequently confirmed."
The Flying Balloon ride features 12 seats arranged in a circle around a central pillar. The structure rotates and rises to a height of around 10 meters.
Reports indicate the incident occurred during a scheduled monthly inspection of the ride.
Investigation Underway as Operations Suspended
At the time of the incident, the seats had been elevated to allow Hina and five colleagues to inspect the ride's mechanisms.
It has been reported that Hina was working on a stepladder. The seats suddenly dropped, pinning her against the central pillar.
The theme park company confirmed that a "full-scale investigation" is now underway to determine the exact cause of the accident. Both the police and the fire department are involved.
"We offer our deepest prayers for the repose of the deceased employee's soul, and we extend our profound condolences and apologies to their bereaved family," the company added.
"We also wish to offer our sincere apologies once again to all customers and stakeholders who have been inconvenienced and caused anxiety as a result of this accident."
All attractions at the park have been suspended "until further notice" as the investigation continues.
The company said it is "dedicating our full efforts to thoroughly investigating the cause of this incident and implementing measures to prevent its recurrence."
Authorities are also examining the park's safety management procedures as part of the ongoing inquiry.
