Disney ride shut down after car runs off track

The government ordered Hong Kong Disneyland to shut its Autopia ride yesterday after one of the cars drove off its track and damaged a kerb.

The accident, the first on a ride at the theme park, happened when the car was negotiating a bend in one of the three tracks in the attraction at about 2pm.

A woman who was riding in another car with her daughter on a different track told Cable TV: 'The car with a woman on board slammed into the kerb, and the kerb broke into pieces. Staff intercepted our car and did not let us continue our ride.'

A Disneyland spokesman said: 'After the incident, the woman in the vehicle told us she was not holding the wheel at the time of the crash.' The woman was unhurt but a section of the kerb broke into pieces, he said.

The vehicle was slightly damaged and taken for inspection.

The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department was alerted after the accident while staff inspected the site.

The department decided that since no one was injured, the ride could continue, and asked the theme park to give it more information. The ride was restarted after about 30 minutes, he said.But on further consideration, the department decided to close the ride for further inspection.