ORLANDO, Fla. – State senators in Tallahassee are expected to take up a bill named after a teen who fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall attraction last year.
Tyre Sampson was riding the thrill ride, known as the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower, on March 24, 2022, when he fell as the ride was plummeting down. The ride took guests up into the air before dropping over 400 feet at 70 mph.
The ride was new to ICON Park and was open for several months before the boy’s death.
The bill, dubbed the Tyre Sampson Safety Act, calls for several changes, including a requirement for a seat belt and harness for any ride that goes over 100 feet.
State Sen. Geraldine Thompson filed an amendment last week, which would require ride manufacturers to report if an attraction undergoes any changes and detail who authorized them and why.
It comes after an investigation into Sampson’s death last year found that sensors were manually adjusted in the seat Sampson was in, making the ride unsafe and allowing the harness’ restraint opening to be “almost double,” according to a report.
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