Nando Times

BLACKPOOL, England (August 31, 2000 10:23 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com)

- A roller coaster car at popular amusement park failed to stop and slammed into the back of a car waiting to drop off its passengers, injuring 14 people Thursday night, authorities said.

The accident on the Big One roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts, occurred near the point where passengers board and exit the ride.

Twelve of the injuries were minor, but two people were hospitalized with leg injuries, officials said.

"I was knocked out for a few seconds, and when I came to there was panic all around," said passenger Ali Akbar Rafsanjani, who suffered from whiplash and a concussion. "It puts me off going on things like that and will probably give me nightmares."

At one point on the mile-long Big One, riders race 235 feet down a sloping track, reaching speeds of nearly 90 mph.

A week after the roller coaster opened in July 1994, 26 people were injured when a carriage crashed into another at 35 mph after a computer failure.

It was not immediately clear how fast this carriage was traveling.

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), September 01, 2000