Technician alleges ignored safety warnings before fatal fall

A maintenance technician has claimed that he warned the operators of a thrill ride in Florida about safety issues before a tragic accident that resulted in a teenager's death. The technician, Austin Campbell-Alexander, stated that his concerns regarding the Orlando Free Fall ride were ignored. In a whistleblower lawsuit, Campbell-Alexander described serious problems with the ride. He said that sensors were altered to fit guests who were too heavy or tall. He also mentioned that overheated components prevented the safety seats from locking correctly and that the structure had cracks. He claimed he and his team received no training related to maintenance or passenger safety. Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old boy who was 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 380 pounds, fell 70 feet to his death during the ride on March 24, 2022. Sampson was visiting Orlando during spring break when he and his friends decided to ride the Orlando Free Fall. Due to his size, his safety harness failed to secure him properly, leading to the tragic incident. Though Campbell-Alexander was not present at the time of the accident, he has experienced depression and anxiety since then. Following the incident, he was asked to falsify maintenance logs to show that required tasks had been completed. He refused and was placed on paid leave, eventually resulting in his termination after Sampson’s family settled with the ride operators. Now, Campbell-Alexander is seeking more than $50,000 in damages, including back pay and other compensations. His attorney indicated that Campbell-Alexander's dismissal was retaliation for raising the safety concerns. The tragic accident has taken a significant emotional toll on Campbell-Alexander, according to his attorney.