Carnival rides thoroughly inspected before McLean County Fair opens Wednesday

Posted on August 1, 2017
Rides undergo multiple inspections according to McLean County Fair Director Mike Swartz. (WJBC file photo)

By Greg Halbleib

BLOOMINGTON – As the McLean County Fair prepares to open Wednesday, final inspections are being completed on the carnival rides.

A fatal accident on the Fireball ride at the Ohio State Fair last week has prompted extra scrutiny of midway rides across the nation.

The Illinois Department of Labor announced today Tuesday it is beginning the process of lifting its suspension of amusement rides similar to the Fireball, which was involved in the Ohio tragedy. Those similar rides include Freak Out and Extreme.

McLean County Fair Director Mike Swartz said all carnival rides on the McLean County Fair midway are thoroughly inspected, sometimes more than once and by different agencies.

“They get inspected by the state of Illinois before anybody ever rides them,” Swartz emphasized. “That’s actually in every location they go every year that I’ve been the manager for 14 years. The city of Bloomington will often come out and inspect as well, and the state may come back and do a spot inspection.”

The McLean County Fair continues through Sunday at the fairgrounds on the west edge of Bloomington. More details on this year’s fair are at mcleancountyfair.org.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

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