A fake rock prop weighing about 180 kilograms came loose from its track during the Indiana Jones show at Disney World in Florida. An employee jumped in to block it from hitting the audience, sustaining injuries and currently recovering, while Disney emphasized its top priority on safety and adjusted the show’s format for that segment.
Walt Disney World confirmed that an employee is currently recovering after being injured in an accident during the popular "Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!" show, which reenacts action scenes from the iconic film.
The dramatic moment of the accident was captured by an audience member. It involved a scene based on the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, where the hero Indiana Jones flees from a giant rolling boulder trap. However, this time the fake boulder, made of rubber and weighing about 400 pounds (approximately 180 kilograms), unexpectedly came off its track and headed toward the audience.
In a split second, the employee decided to jump in front of the boulder to slow its momentum and prevent it from reaching the stands. He was struck, fell to the ground, and was unable to get up immediately as other staff rushed to assist him.
Survivors and eyewitnesses praised the employee in an interview with People magazine, saying he "saved lives" by protecting the audience from injury. A male spectator can be heard on the video exclaiming in shock, "That man literally saved us." The event caused great alarm among the visitors.
In a statement released on Wednesday, 31 Dec 2023 GMT+7, Disney said, "We are currently focused on caring for the employee, who is recovering. Safety is the cornerstone of our work, and this part of the show will be temporarily modified while our safety team conducts a thorough investigation of the incident."
A Disney spokesperson did not directly confirm that the fake rock was the primary cause of the injury but told CBS News, "A piece of moving stage equipment came off its track," which led to the accident.
/sourceBBC