ESCAPE FROM DEATH: Witnesses of Melbourne Royal Show Rollercoaster Horror Take Legal Action Against Organisers
- Three years after Shylah Rodden was struck by a rollercoaster, witnesses are suing the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria and Chant Amusements
- Siblings Chloe Jordan and Paige Loone, and Jordan’s partner Alexandra Petterd, claim they developed PTSD after watching the incident
- The group alleges the organisers were negligent in preventing Rodden from accessing the tracks and failed to provide adequate warnings
A group of traumatised carnival-goers who witnessed the horrifying moment a woman was hit by a rollercoaster at the Melbourne Royal Show three years ago are taking legal action against the organisers. The incident, which left Shylah Rodden with irreversible brain damage, permanent blindness in one eye, and deafness in one ear, has had a lasting impact on the witnesses, who claim they have developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Chloe Jordan, her sister Paige Loone, and Jordan’s partner Alexandra Petterd were among those who watched in horror as Rodden was struck by the rollercoaster while trying to retrieve her phone from a fenced-off area. The group alleges that the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria and Chant Amusements, the organisers of the event, were negligent in preventing Rodden from accessing the tracks and failed to provide adequate warnings or signage.
In a heart-wrenching statement, the group revealed they waited for 45 minutes to find out what had happened to Rodden, and have been left with “night terrors and flashbacks” ever since. “We have no doubt that what we experienced at the Royal Melbourne Show would be traumatic for anyone who lived through that horrible moment,” they said.
The incident has had a profound impact on Rodden, who has made an “extraordinary” recovery but still suffers from cognitive impairments, difficulties swallowing, and has no sense of smell. Sometimes, she needs to use a walking frame and a wheelchair.
The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria has declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing court case. WorkSafe Victoria ended its investigation into the incident last year, stating that no further action would be taken.