Riders atHalifax waterfront carnivalslammed into tree branches

Jacob Joly was out to enjoy a summer afternoon Wednesday on the Halifax waterfront with his girlfriend when they decided to go for a ride at a carnival that had opened that day in the city's downtown.

But what happened when the ride called theStar Trooper started is something they'll never forget.

"We were rammed into some trees that were really close to the ride and got hit multiple times," said Joly. "It happened three or four times at super-fast speeds."

Joly said both he and his girlfriend were cut by the tree branches and have sore necks from whiplash.

Wednesday was the first of six days of operation scheduled for the carnival, which is located just off Lower Water Street and isrun byEast Coast Amusements.

Others on the Star Trooper ride also suffered minor injuries. There were about half a dozen people on the ride. Joly said it took a while before any passengers got medical help, as the carnival didn't seem to have first-aid equipment handy.

"I'm just glad there weren't any kids on the ride cause they might have gotten seriously injured," said Joly. "If the tree branches had been facing in another way someone could have gotten impaled."

A Halifax Regional Police spokesman saidthey were called to the scene Wednesday. They've turned over the investigation of the matter to the Nova Scotia Department of Labour.

Nathan Smithers, the general manager of East Coast Amusements, said there was an "operator error" and the ride has been shifted so it doesn't happen again.

"We obviously extend our apologies to everyone and hope they are feeling fine and healing well," he said.

Smithers said the ride was shut down for the rest of the day on Wednesday following the incident. It has since been inspected and will be back in operation Thursday.