Roller coaster worker fatally injured before Oktoberfest begins

A death during the construction of the Oktoberfest, just a few days before the start: A worker is fatally injured during a test ride on a roller coaster in Munich. Colleagues at the show react with shock.

A worker was fatally injured during a test ride on a roller coaster at the Oktoberfest grounds in Munich. According to the fire department, the man was hit by a roller coaster at full speed.

The 20-year-old was left lying under the tracks with serious injuries. His colleagues immediately called the emergency services. The man was given first aid on the spot on the Theresienwiese. Resuscitation measures had already begun on the way to the hospital. The man died in the hospital.

Final work before the start of Oktoberfest

Final work is currently being done on the festival grounds as the 189th Oktoberfest is set to begin on Saturday (September 21, 2024). The food and beer prices for Oktoberfest have been set for some time now – and some festival tents have actually cracked the 15 euro mark.

A crisis intervention team took care of the roller coaster employees. The police are investigating the exact course of events, a spokesman said. It was initially unclear why the man was so close to the tracks that the roller coaster was able to hit him.

“They are in shock,” said the spokeswoman for the Wiesn showman Yvonne Heckl. It is “news that takes the ground from under your feet – a drama for the family, for the operator, for everyone else.” The showman colleagues feel for the relatives and those affected. “We are a big Wiesn family,” said Heckl.

High safety standards at the Oktoberfest

Peter Bausch, chairman of the Munich Showmen’s Association, was also horrified: “It is a tragic accident. The fact that a young person has lost his life: that is the worst thing of all.”

Heckl also referred to the meticulous preparations and the high demands on safety at the Oktoberfest. “In general, we have the highest safety standards, but there is no such thing as complete safety – we must not be deceived by that,” said the spokeswoman for the Wiesn showman. Before the start of the festival, the rides are checked carefully, and the TÜV is also regularly on site.

Last year, there was an accident on another roller coaster on the very first day of the festival, but it ended well. Several passengers were slightly injured when an incoming train slowly rolled back onto a stationary train.

The Wiesn is considered the largest folk festival in the world, with around six million visitors expected by October 6. Celebrities and influencers such as Cathy Hummels will also be visiting the Oktoberfest this year. The 36-year-olds said they would need twelve dirndls for the Wiesn 2024.