Fatal Monorail crash follows July 4 festivities at Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World's Monorail. Photo: Walt Disney Productions

This morning, the operator of a Walt Disney World Monorail train was killed after crashing into the rear of a stationary Monorail train on the Epcot track as guests were leaving the Fourth of July festivities at the resort.

According to Reedy Creek fire officials, the stationary train was at the Transportation and Ticket Center, and the crash occured at approximately 2:00 a.m. Sunday, July 5. Eyewitnesses say that the fire crews used torches to cut through the crushed metal to reach the driver, who was prounounced dead at the scene. Seven other people were checked and found not to be seriously injured.

"This is supposed to be impossible. The Monorails have sensors that cause dead-stick when they get too close," said Kevin Yee, a reporter for MiceAge.com, via his Facebook page.

However, operators are able to intentionally override the automatic emergency braking system, which is supposed to maintain a minimum of two "hold points" between trains, according to Channel 13 News in central Florida. This is the first fatal Monorail accident to occur at Walt Disney World, though a Monorail train has rear-ended a stationary train at Walt Disney World before, in 1974.

Walt Disney World Public Affairs President Mike Griffin issued a statement in which he stated that Walt Disney World "will continue to work closely with law enforcement to determine what happened and the appropriate next steps." He also said that Walt Disney World "mourns the loss of our fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to his family, and those who have lost a friend and co-worker."

In 1966, a Monorail at Disneyland struck and killed a teenager who was trying to sneak into the park for its "Grad Nite" festivities, though this was not the fault of the park.

At Disneyland in early 2008, a new Monorail train was installed but quickly shut down when it turned out that the new train design was scraping and crumpling on the large concrete Monorail beam at curves in the track, causing a four-month delay in the public launch, though no one was ever injured.

Deaths at Disney theme parks are uncommon, but not unheard of. While accidents are extremely rare, deaths by natural causes happen from time to time, as would be expected at a place where thousands of people congregate. Almost anything that can happen has happened, including injuries from old trees falling over to brain aneurysms from the violent shaking of ride vehicles.

However, freak fatalities do occur, even at Disneyland. In 1974, a Disneyland cast member was slowly crushed to death between the moving walls of a huge carousel-type theater in the America Sings attraction. In 1998, a cleat fastened to the hull of the imposing Sailing Ship Columbia broke loose and flew through the air, striking three people and killing one of them with a blow to the head. (The Los Angeles Times estimates that this accident was settled by Disney for $25 million.) In 2003, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster train derailed and killed a man by causing severe blunt force trauma. The accident was the result of mechanical failure, due partly to omissions during maintenance procedures.

At Walt Disney World, in 1999 a custodian was killed while cleaning near the Skyway gondola station. The Skyway ride was accidentally activated, pushing him off the ledge. He clung to the gondola as long as he could, finally losing his grip and falling 40 feet. In 2004, a castmember dressed as Pluto died after being run over by a Beauty and the Beast parade float. And in 2007, an employee died from a brain injury after being hit by a ride vehicle from the Primeval Whirl attraction.

Nevertheless, accidents at Disney theme parks are extremely rare, and emergency procedures are constantly being tested and reevaluated to provide a safe experience for guests.