[PRCo] Fwd: Walt Disney World monorail crash kills employee

[Schneider Fred]

Good thing about this is that takes the heat off Mr. Catoe and the  
Washington Metro for a while.
Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Henry Deutch" <hhdconsultants at mail.com>
> Date: July 5, 2009 5:44:22 PM EDT
> To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
> Subject: Fw: Walt Disney World monorail crash kills employee
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: atholtz
> To: "Gary Olden" , "Henry Deutch - bus" , "Jack May" , "John  
> Hayward" , "Bob Campbell" , "Bob Vogel" , "Clark Johnson" , "Curt  
> Carlough" , "Frank Miklos" , "Fritz Plenefisch" , "Harvey  
> Glickenstein" , "Herman Stichman" , "Mike Glikin" , "Richard  
> Solomon" , "Ron Wallace" , "Tony Fitzherbert" , "William Worth"
> Subject: Walt Disney World monorail crash kills employee
> Date: Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:13:29 -0500
>
> Walt Disney World monorail crash kills employee
>
>
>  Play Video AP  – Worker dead in Disney World monorail collision
> 1 hr 1 min ago
>
> LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Two monorail trains crashed early Sunday  
> morning in the Magic Kingdom section of Walt Disney World, killing  
> one train's operator, emergency officials said.
>
> The transit system, which shuttles thousands of visitors around the  
> sprawling resort each day, was shut down while authorities  
> investigated the holiday weekend wreck.
>
> The monorail operator died at the scene of the crash, which  
> happened around 2 a.m., said Bo Jones, deputy chief for Reedy Creek  
> Fire Department. The other train operator was uninjured, but was  
> taken to a hospital because he was emotionally shaken. Jones said  
> five park guests were treated at the scene, though the Orange  
> County Sheriff's office said six were treated.
>
> Disney Vice President of Communications Michael Griffin identified  
> the driver as 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg. Griffin would not  
> discuss how long Wuennenberg had been with Disney or the  
> circumstances surrounding the crash. Disney officials also refused  
> to talk about how the monorail system operates.
>
> "They are extremely rare," Griffin said of accidents at the park.  
> "The safety of our guests and cast are a top priority above all else."
>
> It is unclear what caused the crash, Jones said. Orange County  
> Sheriff's officials are investigating.
>
> A spokeswoman for Stetson University in nearby DeLand confirmed  
> that Wuennenberg was a student at the school. A woman standing in  
> front of Wuennenberg's home in Kissimmee declined comment Sunday  
> afternoon and directed all questions to Disney officials, saying  
> the family would "like some private time to grieve."
>
> Jones said the crash happened at the park's ticket and  
> transportation center. About a dozen guards wearing blue Disney  
> security uniforms guarded the monorail station Sunday morning and  
> prevented visitors from approaching the area.
>
> Griffin would not comment on a video posted on the Web site of  
> Orlando TV station WKMG. The clip, apparently shot by a guest at  
> the theme park, shows several people trying to get the driver's  
> attention as they examine the wreckage.
>
> "This is such a close-knit community, " Griffin said. "Our hearts  
> go out to Austin's family. It's a sad day here."
>
> Catherine McKenna, 45, and her family were visiting the theme park  
> from Ireland. The family had planned to use the monorail to travel  
> to the Magic Kingdom but said they were told the train was broken.  
> They took a ferry instead, but returned on the monorail later.
>
> "It's very sad," McKenna said. "You would be very afraid to use it  
> again."
>
> However, another guest, 55-year-old Jose Sequera of Venezuela, said  
> he was not concerned about safety at the park.
>
> "I think they take care of things," Sequera said. "Accidents  
> happen, the same as in planes and cars."
>
> Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said the park had boosted other  
> forms of transportation — such as ferry, boats and buses — for  
> visitors Sunday.
>
> "Our guests are getting around fine," Suarez said.
>
> Ethan Meus, who was visiting the park from Dubuque, Iowa, said he  
> and his family took the monorail to dinner at a resort hotel  
> Saturday night. Meus, 17, watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks from  
> the monorail on the way back to his hotel, he said, and didn't  
> notice any problems with the train.
>
> "It's pretty shocking to hear that a driver was killed in that  
> accident," Meus said.
>
> The family was planning to take the train again Sunday to visit  
> Disney's Epcot Center, but now planned to take a bus, Meus added.
>
> "You would think it would be so safe," said 20-year-old Lauren  
> Shoebottom, who was visiting the park from London. "You don't  
> expect it on holiday, do you?"
>
> Walt Disney World vice president of public affairs Mike Griffin  
> issued a statement offering condolences to the employee's family  
> and saying the monorail was closed.
>
> "It's a bit shocking," said 22-year-old Danielle Williams, of  
> London. "Disney seems so perfect."
>
>
>
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