At least one person was critically injured Wednesday afternoon when a runaway carriage horse bolted in Central Park with a family of passengers inside.
The horse was reportedly startled while the carriage operator tried securing the steps to help the family down at the conclusion of the ride, according to police sources. The horse took off with several family members still inside.
The carriage fell on its side as the horse tried to make a turn, throwing at least one of the passengers out of the carriage and onto the pavement. Police sources said the 18-year-old passenger hit his head against the ground. He was eventually taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
The Transport Workers Union, which oversees the horse carriage industry, said it was looking into the incident.
Wednesday’s incident in Central Park comes just one week after a 16-year-old horse named Deniz died from reportedly eating a toxic plant lining the park.
The Central Park Conservancy referenced last week’s tragedy in its statement, reiterating their call to ban horse carriages in the park.
“As details of today’s incident come into focus, our thoughts are with the injured. That this frightening situation is just days after the previous one underscores the dangers posed by horse carriages to Park visitors, carriage drivers, and the horses themselves,” the statement said.
This story is developing.
0 Comments