7-year-old slips and falls nearly 40 feet from ride at Florida State Fair, cops say

A 7-year-old was hospitalized with possible broken bones over the weekend after she fell from a ride at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The identity and condition of the girl have not been released.

It happened Saturday, Feb. 12, around 8:40 p.m. and involved a gondola ride that TV stations identified as a “Sky Tram.”

“Three minors, all family members under the age of 10, were riding the gondola across the fairgrounds when a seven-year-old girl slipped under the safety bar and fell 35-40 feet down onto a grassy area,” the sheriff’s office said in a Feb. 13 news release.

“Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue paramedics responded immediately to the scene and were able to take her to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries (possible broken wrist).”

Investigators determined the incident was “an accident.”

“The gondola ride was shut down for a time, and is now back and in operation,” the department said.

State fair officials issued a statement saying the ride had been “re-inspected” after the incident and no evidence of a malfunction was found, WFTS reported.

The sky ride gives passengers “a birds eye view of the midway from this slow moving chair lift ride!” according to a list of the event’s entertainment.

It is categorized as a “family ride” for passengers who are at least 48 inches tall and are accompanied by an adult, the site says.

The fair opened Feb. 10 and will close Feb. 21, according to the fair website.

This story was originally published February 14, 2022 at 7:59 AM with the headline "7-year-old slips and falls nearly 40 feet from ride at Florida State Fair, cops say."