A Phoenix father was stranded with a broken back and leg for more than half an hour after the water machines were allegedly shut off while he was going down the second highest slide at uShaka Marine World.
Junaid Singh, 34, who is self-employed, was visiting the water park with his family on Sunday when a thunderstorm started. He claimed at this point workers “informally” called on patrons to evacuate the water slides and “forced” people out of the park.
Singh’s brother-in-law, Wahed Nazeer, a pharmacy assistant, who was also at the park with his family, said that no proper announcements were made to ask people to leave the slides.
“They just closed the slides and asked everyone to leave. Junaid was on the second highest slide at the time. He laughed and joked with the lifeguard before he went down. At this point they did not know that the park was being evacuated,” said Nazeer.
At around 2pm, Singh went down the slide not realising that the slide water machines had been shut off.
“As he went down the slide, the water had stopped and the slide became dry. He is not a slim person so with his weight, he started moving quickly and started swaying from side to side. He ended up hitting his leg on the side of the slide and it broke in two places.
“When he reached the bottom of the slide his back was also broken in three places and he could not move,” said Nazeer.
At the bottom of the slide was Singh's pregnant wife, Farnaaz, with their two-year-old son, waiting for him to come down.
“She was traumatised by the scene that unfolded in front of her. She had her toddler with her and he saw his dad in pain with a visibly broken leg,” said Nazeer.
Singh’s family are now demanding answers as to why no formal announcements were made to inform patrons that the slides were shutting down for the day.
“We want answers. Why did they do it while there was someone on the slide? They should have better communication in place. They were trying to work with word of mouth to inform everyone but that didn't work. They should have used the intercom so everyone could have been made aware,” said Nazeer.
He said the worst part was that nobody tried to help them when the incident occurred. He claimed they had been left waiting for more than half an hour with no help.
Junaid Singh receives medical attention on the slide, which left him with a broken back and leg. Picture: Supplied
“Nobody from the park helped, not the guards, security or anyone of authority. They just left us waiting for an ambulance, while Junaid was scared and in pain, stuck on the slide.
“Up until now, no-one from uShaka has even contacted us. They have not communicated with us at all and it has now been more than three days since the incident,” said Nazeer.
The family said they were looking at their legal options. Singh was rushed to Life Entabeni Hospital.
“Junaid is in a lot of pain. He cannot move and he has just come out of leg surgery. His back surgery can only be done after a week. He is stuck in hospital and uShaka didn’t even phone to check on him.
“Farnaaz is five months pregnant and has a two year old. At this point she has too much stress and worries. Junaid is the main breadwinner of the home. If he cannot move or do his job, then his family suffers. Their situation is bad and we want to see justice for Junaid.
“We just wanted a fun day out with our families before we go back to work but instead we went through what could be a life changing incident for a family,” said Nazeer.
The family also noted that even though the park was set to shut down for the day, it still sold tickets at the door.
“Even after the incident happened, the park was opened 45 minutes later and they carried on as if nothing had happened. They were running as normal while Junaid was in pain. What would they have done if he had lost his life? It is disheartening,” said Nazeer.
The incident has also garnered attention online, with the victim’s sister, Rohwida Nazeer, sharing her brother's story on social media, calling for eyewitnesses.
uShaka Marine World acknowledged an incident had occurred on Sunday and that they were looking into the issue as they took their guests' safety seriously.
“An investigation into the incident and the events leading up to it is currently under way. We take this matter seriously and have initiated a thorough investigation to understand the incident and the circumstances leading up to it and ensure appropriate actions are taken.
“Our guest’s safety and satisfaction are our top priorities, and we appreciate your understanding as we address this matter,” said uShaka Marine World.
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