La Tour Eiffel (Hopi Hari)
La Tour Eiffel is a drop tower of the Hopi Hari amusement park in Vinhedo, São Paulo. It opened along with the park on November 30, 1999.[1] The tower lets participants enter into free fall from a height of 69.5 meters, or 228 feet (the equivalent of a 23-story building) at a speed of approximately 94 km/h (58.41 mph).[2][3]
2012 fatal incident
Hopi Hari, Facebook post at the day of the accident.
On February 23, 2012, 14-year-old Gabriela Yukari Nichimura died after falling from the drop tower, because its lock opened[2][3][4] at about 66 feet (20 meters) high.[5] The problem was in Gabriela's chair which had been unused for 10 years, due to the seat's location where a person could bump into the metal frame of the toy, in addition to the absence of a seat belt.[6] The park closed hours after the accident. A full review that began on March 2 of the same year was performed on all toys.[6] Upon completion of the review and signing of a Conduct Adjustment Term (CAT), the park was reopened on March 25, 2012, but the tower remained banned.[7]
At the time, the family had plans to sue the park for material and moral damage.[8] Gabriela's family even asked for R$ 4 million in compensation from Hopi Hari and R$ 1 million from Vinhedo City Hall.[9]
On May 9, 2012, the Public Prosecution Service indicted 12 people for the accident, including the then president of the park, Armando Pereira Filho.[10] The park even tried to make a deal with the family.[11]
In 2017, three employees were convicted of manslaughter for two years and eight months of community service and the payment of a minimum wage for a social entity. Another five employees were acquitted. In the civil sphere, the family and the park came to an undisclosed agreement.[12][5][13]
On May 18, 2017, the Supreme Federal Court discontinued a lawsuit against former President Armando Pereira Filho. The family is treated for what happened.[13]
Reopening
After changes in the drop tower,[14] it was estimated to be back in August 2019,[15][16] but in June 2019 the management decided against its reopening, due to the need for US$ 480,000 to recover the equipment and the realization of marketing.[17]
References
- ""Disney brasileira" custou 260 milhões" ["Brazilian Disney" cost 260 million]. Jornal do Comércio (RJ) (in Portuguese). 1999. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- Balza, Guilherme; Melo, Débora (February 24, 2012). "Testemunhas relatam que adolescente morta no Hopi Hari caiu após trava de brinquedo abrir" [Witnesses report that teenager killed in Hopi Hari crashed after elevator lock opens]. UOL. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- "Adolescente morre após acidente em parque de diversões no interior de SP" [Teen dies after accident in amusement park in SP]. G1. February 24, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- "'Horrível', diz testemunha sobre morte de garota em parque de SP" ['Horrible' says witness about death of girl in SP park]. G1. February 4, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- "Hopi Hari fecha acordo com família de estudante morta" [Hopi Hari strikes deal with dead student family]. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Hopi Hari diz que cadeira utilizada por menina estava interditada havia dez anos" [Hopi Hari says chair used by girl had been banned for ten years]. iG. March 1, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- Calado, Fabrício (March 25, 2012). "Brinquedo em que adolescente morreu atrai curiosos na reabertura do Hopi Hari" [Toy in which teenager died attracts onlookers at the reopening of Hopi Hari]. UOL. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- "Família de menina morta em parque irá processar Hopi Hari, diz advogado" [Dead girl family in park will sue Hopi Hari, lawyer says]. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Família dobra pedido de indenização ao Hopi Hari por morte de Gabriela" [Family doubles Hopi Hari compensation claim for Gabriela's death]. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Promotoria denuncia 12 à Justiça por morte de adolescente no Hopi Hari" [Prosecution charges 12 to court for death of teenager at Hopi Hari]. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Pai de Gabriela diz que recebeu 'com muita alegria' as 12 denúncias do MP" [Gabriela's father says he received 'with great joy' the 12 complaints from the MP]. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Justiça condena 3 funcionários por morte de menina no Hopi Hari" [Justice condemns 3 staff for death of girl at Hopi Hari]. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "STF arquiva ação contra ex-presidente do Hopi Hari por morte na "La Tour Eiffel"" [Supreme Federal Court discontinue lawsuit against former Hopi Hari president for death at "La Tour Eiffel"]. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Estrutura do 'La Tour Eiffel', no Hopi Hari, terá que ser modificada" [La Tour Eiffel's structure at Hopi Hari will have to be modified]. G1. March 23, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- "Hopi Hari vai recolocar em operação brinquedo que teve acidente com morte" [Hopi Hari will reopen toy operation that had accident with death]. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Hopi Hari prevê reativar 'La Tour Eiffel' e diz tentar acordo com BNDS para evitar leilão de bens" [Hopi Hari Predicts Reactivate 'La Tour Eiffel' and Says Trying Deal with BNDS to Avoid Goods Auction]. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- "Nova gestão do Hopi Hari descarta reabrir Torre Eiffel" [New Hopi Hari management discard reopening Eiffel Tower]. June 27, 2019. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
Notes
- 1.^ Hours in UTC-2 (Daylight saving time).