A county fair in October has an almost ritualistic quality. The sound of a ferris wheel turning on for the evening, children pulling their parents toward the lights, and the smell of fried food wafting across a parking lot. The Cal-Cam Fair in Sulphur, Southwest Louisiana, has been a fall fixture that families return to year after year, almost instinctively. This contributed to the unsettling nature of the October 17, 2018 events.
The carnival wasn’t operating smoothly when inspectors from the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office showed up at the fairgrounds that Wednesday afternoon for what should have been a routine safety and verification check. Twelve of the sixteen rides on site “had not been set up appropriately and contained safety issues,” according to Ashley Rodrigue, the public affairs director of the office.seatbelts that are broken. electrical issues. Problems were severe enough that before a single evening crowd had completely arrived, three-quarters of the available rides were essentially grounded.
It’s difficult to avoid staring at that number for a while. Twelve of sixteen. That isn’t a small infraction or a technicality discovered by an overzealous inspector. Rides that have been put together and seemingly approved internally only to collapse in the face of external scrutiny represent a systemic failure in preparation. The four rides that succeeded were the exception rather than the rule.
The timing is what makes the situation feel especially unsettling. The fair was already underway. There were people present. Children had probably pointed at the exact rides that were now being flagged as families passed through the entrance. What happens on the evenings when no inspector shows up, when the inspection is lighter, or when it is delayed is a legitimate question that lingers in the background. Scenes like this may occur more frequently than the general public is aware.
According to Rodrigue, inspectors conducted more in-depth individual reviews of each ride after discovering upon arrival that a number of setup inspection requirements had simply not been fulfilled. The fact that a National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials specialist was called in to help indicates that state inspectors themselves believed the extent of the issue called for more knowledge. The president of the Cal-Cam Fair Association, Chuck Kinney, told reporters that he anticipated the rides being cleared and operational by the next morning. His calm confidence seemed a little out of step with the situation on the ground.
Thirteen of the sixteen rides had passed inspection by October 18th, which is a significant improvement and evidence that the organizers and operators, in collaboration with state officials, took prompt action after the issues were formally identified. Depending on who you ask, that speed may indicate a desire to minimize reputational harm or a true sense of urgency.
This larger context is not exclusive to Louisiana. For decades, the safety of carnival and fair rides has been a documented concern nationwide. In this industry, oversight varies greatly by state, rides are assembled and disassembled frequently during a touring season, and the difference between safe and unsafe can occasionally be as small as a single bolt, a fraying belt, or an improperly checked wiring connection. A somber reminder of what happens when something is overlooked is the 2016 Greene County Fair Ferris wheel incident, in which three girls fell 35 to 45 feet as a result of a suspected mechanical failure.
The tale of the Cal-Cam Fair did not end tragically. Operators fixed the issues that inspectors found, and the weekend went on. However, the episode leaves a lingering sense of unease that is hard to get rid of. Every aspect of the fall fair tradition, including the lights, noise, and sense of community celebration, is based entirely and silently on the presumption that someone has checked.
Someone did this time.
