Walt Disney World monorail crash kills employee

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — UPDATE July 6, 2009

Federal workplace investigators are looking into the monorail crash at Walt Disney World that killed a train operator.

The investigation launched Monday by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration could take six months.

The agency will investigate whether workplace safety rules were broken before one monorail train crashed into another one early Sunday. The accident killed 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg.

The transit system, which shuttles thousands of visitors around the sprawling resort each day, is shut down while authorities investigate. A Disney spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment.

No guests were seriously injured in the first fatal accident in the 38-year history of the park's Monorail.

Two monorail trains crashed early Sunday morning in the Magic Kingdom section of Walt Disney World, killing one train's operator, emergency officials said.

Disney said it was the first fatal crash in the monorail's 38-year history in the park.

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.

"To see the accident, to see the scene of what had happened and the fact that there was a life that was lost, it was very sad. It was very somber," Jones said.

Disney's senior spokesman 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 declined to discuss 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 to comment Sunday afternoon and directed questions to Disney officials, saying the family wanted "private time to grieve."

One of Wuennenberg's former Stetson classmates, Brandon Ross, said the 21-year-old had scheduled his classes around his Disney job and took precautions if he was working a night shift. Ross said his friend would make the hour-long drive from DeLand to the Orlando area the day before his shift so he wouldn't be tired when he operated the train.

"He seemed to be a pretty safe person," said Ross, 22. "He's not reckless at all."

Wuennenberg studied computer science, said Ross, who sometimes asked for his help on school projects and called him smart and talented. "He was really good with computers."

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.

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 park, shows a man pounding on the door to the driver's compartment after the crash.

"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 last Friday but said they were told the train was broken. They took a ferry but returned on the monorail later that day.

"It's very sad," McKenna said. "You would be very afraid to use it again."

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said the park had boosted other forms of transport — such as ferries, boats and buses — for visitors Sunday.

"Our guests are getting around fine," Suarez added.

Seventeen-year-old Ethan Meus, visiting from Dubuque, Iowa, said he and his family took the monorail to dinner at a resort hotel Saturday night. Meus watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the monorail on the way back to his hotel and said he didn't notice any problems with the train.

"It's pretty shocking to hear that a driver was killed," Meus said.

"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?"

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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Associated Press contributor Amy Green reported from Lake Buena Vista, Fla.