A female employee at Tokyo Dome City Attractions died on Tuesday while inspecting a ride at the park. The 24-year-old, identified as Hina Kamimura, became trapped in the Flying Balloon attraction just before midday while conducting a monthly inspection with five colleagues. She was reportedly working on a stepladder when seats that had been stationary at the top of the attraction suddenly fell, trapping her against a pillar. She was freed after five hours, but it was too late.
Tokyo Dome Corporation Releases Statement on Employee’s Death
In a press release issued on Tuesday, Tokyo Dome Corporation said, “During routine maintenance work on the ride, one of our employees became trapped within the ride’s gondola mechanism. Following rescue operations, the employee was transported to a hospital, where their death was subsequently confirmed.” It added, “We offer our deepest prayers for the repose of the deceased employee’s soul, and we extend our profound condolences and apologies to their bereaved family.”
The statement continued: “We are currently conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident in cooperation with relevant authorities, including the police and fire department. Furthermore, all rides at Tokyo Dome City Attractions will be suspended starting today until further notice, and we will devote our full efforts to thoroughly investigating the cause and preventing a recurrence. We take this incident extremely seriously. We would like to once again apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our customers.”
Image: Tokyo Dome City
The Flying Balloon Attraction
The Flying Balloon attraction is a family-oriented ride that features 12 gondola-style seats rotating around a central tower as they are lifted into the air, rising to around 10 meters. It provides scenic views of the surrounding area and is regarded as one of the park’s more accessible attractions, typically popular with younger visitors and families. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident at the ride, which has been in operation for several years.
