A carnival worker was hospitalized Sunday evening after being injured while assisting a rider at the Chattahoochee Mountain Fair in Clarkesville.
Habersham County Emergency Services said dispatchers received the call at 7:09 p.m. on September 7 from the Habersham County Fairgrounds. EMS determined the worker had suffered a fractured ankle and transported him to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham for treatment. No other injuries were reported.
Ride shut down and reinspected
Fair Manager Shelley Tullis confirmed the incident in a statement Monday. “An incident occurred last night involving one of the rides at the Chattahoochee Mountain Fair. A ride operator was injured and had to be assisted off the ride he was operating. The ride was immediately shut down and reinspected this morning by state officials, who confirmed it is safe to operate.”
County spokesperson Ashlyn Brady provided additional details, saying the worker was helping a rider onto the attraction when the accident occurred.
“As the worker was loading the rider, the ride unexpectedly moved forward, catching the worker’s right ankle and tearing his jeans,” Brady said. “Emergency personnel evaluated the worker on scene, and he was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham for further treatment.”
Tullis said it appears to have been the result of “operator error.”
“We want to assure the public that all rides were thoroughly inspected by state officials prior to the opening of the fair. In addition, the carnival operations are contracted through a third-party provider that is fully licensed and regulated.”
Carnival vendor
The fair’s rides are provided by Midway Rides Unlimited of Anderson, South Carolina. The company, which has over 50 years of experience serving fairs and festivals across Georgia and the Carolinas, emphasizes safety as its top priority on its website.
Company officials were not immediately available for comment when Now Habersham reached out following Sunday’s incident.
Tullis stressed that safety remains the fair’s highest priority.
“The safety of our visitors and staff remains our top priority, and we will continue to work closely with state inspectors and the contracted carnival company to ensure the safest possible environment for everyone attending the fair.”
The Chattahoochee Mountain Fair continues through September 13 at the Habersham County Fairgrounds in Clarkesville.
