Illinois Department of Labor responds to Ohio State Fair incident

Press Release from the Illinois Department of Labor

SPRINGFIELD—July 27, 2017. In light of yesterday’s tragic incident at the Ohio State Fair, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) is suspending the operation of all rides similar to KMG’s Fire Ball until further notice.   

“With many festivals and county fairs occurring across the State, including the upcoming Illinois State Fair, we are committed to ensuring the safety of all carnival rides,” said IDOL Acting Director Joe Beyer.

IDOL’s Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Division inspectors are notifying operators to suspend operation of the Fire Ball and other similar rides. That includes three Fire Ball rides, eight Freak Out rides, and one Extreme ride that are in Illinois.

IDOL’s Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Division inspects and permits every ride that is open to the public and determines whether they are safe to operate. No ride is permitted to run if it does not pass inspection. 

Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Division inspectors conduct nearly 4,000 ride inspections at stationary parks, traveling carnivals, and fairs throughout the State each year.  

For more information about the Illinois Department of Labor, visit the website at http://labor.illinois.gov. IDOL can also be found on Facebook @ILDeptofLabor or on Twitter @ILDeptofLabor.