Two killed as artwork 'lifts off'

[muriel_volestrangler]

Two people have been killed and 13 injured after a giant, inflatable sculpture blew free from its moorings.

Many were inside the artwork, which consists of connected rooms, when it lifted 30ft into the air at Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street, County Durham.
...
Durham Fire Brigade spokesman John Robson said: "There's been a large inflatable structure, which included walls and floors and obviously the top, which has somehow lifted off the ground, and moved between 30 and 40m out of its pitched area.
...
It comprises several different rooms, made of translucent PVC sheets, which are interconnected and inflated by air to allow visitors to walk about inside.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/5208460.stm

A bizarre happening.

[hlthe2b]

1. Seems like engineer inspections would be required...

:shrug: How sad...

'Guess we'll see more of this in this country, given the anti-regulatory, privatize everything trend the past decade--as in the "BIG DIG" disaster.

[enough]

2. The thing is huge.

Here's the pre-event website:

http://www.dreamspace-agis.com/webesp/index.htm

[bloom]

4. It does look cool

Too bad - it didn't work out.

[WePurrsevere]

5. Huge & absolutely beautiful, It's sad that this horrible accident has cost

lives and injured people. Hopefully it will be a well learned lesson and these creations will be tied up much better from now on.

[AngryAmish]

3. Few years ago in Bensonville, IL

They were deflating an inflatable dome that was an indoor driving range. With the structure partially deflated a crew lined up on one end and waked toward the other side to force the air out. A guy was standing on the other side. When the other side deflated his side inflated, thrrowing him into the air. He landed on concrete 20 feet away on his head. DOA.

[Vinnie From Indy]

6. Is that a two stroke penalty or just stroke and distance?

:)

[Demit]

7. You're certainly able to see humor in the darndest things. Quite a gift.

The man died.