Disney admits error, denies fault in monorail fatality
March 25, 2010 by Fred HosierPosted in: Fatality, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Transportation safety
Lawyers for Walt Disney world have revealed new details into the monorail crash last July that killed a train operator.
Disney’s lawyers say an employee inside the monorail maintenance shop reported that a track switch had been flipped when it had not.
The pilot of one monorail was given the OK to back up onto a different beam. That put the monorail in the path of another.
The collision killed 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg. His mother has filed a wrongful death suit against Disney.
The documents released by the company also state that the on-site monorail coordinator went home sick shortly before the crash. Another manager took over the coordinator’s duties, but he was radioing in instructions from outside the park.
Disney has requested a jury trial. Its documents did not admit any fault in the crash. The company has changed some of its monorail procedures since the fatality.
The National Transportation Safety Board hasn’t released its final report yet. OSHA fined Disney $35,000 in connection with the incident.
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Tags: monorail fatality, Walt Disney World, wrongful death lawsuit
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March 25th, 2010 at 9:42 am
If Disney has changed some procedures since the crash, isn’t that a roundabout way of admitting that something wasn’t right? I know it isn’t an admission of guilt but it certainly exposes some flaws in their procedures. Hopefuly the industry can learn from this tragedy and avoid a repeat.
March 30th, 2010 at 8:17 am
As high tech an operation as this is you would think that there would be fail safe sensors that would identify the location of all trams and their status. An early alert would have been sounded if the sensors had identified the parked tram in the path of an operating tram lane. And how can someone give operational information from a remote location without having the benefit of real time information? Disney better settle before going to trial because a jury will see they failed to protect the employees and passengers so their sympathy will be in the form of a huge award.
March 31st, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Disney, a family orientated company! They need some compassion for the family and pay them restitution for their loss. A mistake was made at their Disney facility and someone got killed. Own up and pay up.
They (Disney) are going to waste so much money on lawyers and court fees. Right now I have lost alot of respect for the Disney company for this fiasco of not giving the family some kind of monetary settlement.
April 1st, 2010 at 6:42 pm
I hope the jury puts it to Disney. Supervisor is on duty but not on the property? Radioing in instructions from where??? = fail. Operating a traansport system without safety systems to detect bad switches/signals whatever? How is it that Disney thinks they will win in court? How do theyf figure they are not responsible? Must be a legal choice to figure the jury will award lower amount than suit is asking for because otherwise I dont see Disney wining.
April 9th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Disney is no longer the generous, well respected company it once was.
Disney has sunk to the ranks of Wal-Mart. Both want to present a positive outward facade, inducing the public to believe they are customer-minded, customer-driven. However, both treat their employees horribly. Each company acts like a child, always having an excuse at the ready and placing blame elsewhere.