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Girl, 15, dies in amusement park ride accident

From Gustavo Valdes, CNN
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One dead, 2 hurt in carnival accident
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • A ride basket breaks in midair, falling onto another ride
  • Two people are seriously injured; another victim walks away with minor injuries
  • El Pendulo ride is one of the main attractions at at the amusement park in Barcelona, Spain
  • The park is closed Sunday as an investigation begins
RELATED TOPICS
  • Spain

(CNN) -- A 15-year-old girl died and two other people were hospitalized with severe injuries after an amusement park ride in Barcelona, Spain, broke in midair, a city spokeswoman said.

A young boy who was on the ride suffered minor injuries, but walked away from the twisted metal on his own, Barcelona spokeswoman Rosa Diaz said.

The names of the victims have not been announced.

The mechanical arm of "El Pendulo" (The Pendulum) broke and the basket carrying the teens fell on top of the ride known as "The Golden Mine," said Sara Jaurriete, director of the Tibidabo amusement park.

The park's website describes El Pendulo as "the ultimate free fall and the first of its kind in Spain."

The ride has a "long articulated arm where passengers are taken up to 38 meters (124 ft). From here, you are dropped in a free fall reaching 100kph (60 mph) in 2.8 seconds. Once you reach the bottom, the arm takes you through a 50-metre arc," the park's website says.

The Pendulum has been in operation for the past four years, and it is billed as one of the park's main attractions.

About 4,000 visitors were in the park when the accident happened Saturday evening, Jaurriete said.

The park will be closed on Sunday as an investigation begins.