People Thrown Off Vortex Ride, Five People Injured

Five people have been injured as a ride at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh started up again as passengers were getting off.  (Ummmmh the lord is our sherpherd).

Two of the people injured are reported to be in a serious condition.
The accident on the Vortex ride, which spins, twirls and flips passengers upside down, happened on Thursday evening.
The injured riders ranged in age from 14 to 39, Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison told a news conference.

Television station WRAL in Raleigh quoted witnesses as saying that several people were thrown off the ride and that some were unconscious.
Lottie Meadows told the the station: "We saw everyone turn around running."
"We looked over, and there were a couple people lying on the ground, on the platform of the ride."
Another witness, Caleb Norris, told WNCN television that he heard a crashing sound just after getting off the Vortex. He turned around and saw two people lying face down.

Mr Norris also said he saw the ride operator fall to his knees and start crying.
The accident happened shortly before the fair was shutting down for the night.
The fair, which runs until Sunday, is expected to reopen today as scheduled, but the Vortex will remain closed.
In 2002, the operator of a different ride at the fair was killed when it struck him while it was still in operation.