| In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors. |
'Aladdin' technician falls 42 feet while testing special effects
Thursday April 24, 2003ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) A technician testing special effects for ``Disney's Aladdin, A Musical Spectacular,'' fell 42 feet to the stage and was hospitalized in critical condition, a Disney spokeswoman said.
The 36-year-old employee, whose name was withheld by Disney, was taken to the University of California, Irvine, Medical Center where he was in critical condition, Disney spokeswoman Sondra Haley told The Orange County Register.
The worker was in a safety harness at about 6 a.m. Tuesday as he tested special effects. Disney does not know what caused the fall, Haley said.
Calls by The Associated Press after business hours Wednesday to the Walt Disney Co. in Burbank and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts LLC in Anaheim were not immediately returned.
Technicians work for about five hours to prepare the theater for ``Aladdin,'' which brings the Disney animated movie to the stage.
The show at The Hyperion Theater inside Disney's California Adventure them park was shut down after Tuesday's accident, but reopened Wednesday.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has begun an investigation, and division spokesman Dean Fryer said investigators would concentrate on whether there was ``fall protection'' and adequate training.
The state will release a conclusion in about three months, Fryer said.
``Our thoughts and prayers are with our fellow cast member and his family,'' said Cynthia Harriss, president of The Disneyland Resort.
The Hyperion Theater holds 1,899 people. ``Aladdin,'' which opened Jan. 16, is performed two to three times daily.
The show is the first production under the artistic direction of New York theater expert Anne Hamburger.
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