On April 20th, a tram from the World-Famous Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood near Los Angeles, California, met with an accident, injuring fifteen people. The incident occurred when the tram collided with a railing while navigating a turn near the “Jurassic Park” movie props.
🚨#BREAKING: 15 people injured in tram crash at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/bTvUVk6Jbs
— World Source News 24/7 (@Worldsource24) April 21, 2024
The Los Angeles County Fire Department, which responded to the scene shortly after 9 p.m., reported the accident on social media. The California Highway Patrol provided details indicating that the last car of the tram struck a metal guardrail, causing it to tilt and several passengers to be ejected. Authorities have stated that they do not believe “alcohol and drugs” were factors in the crash.
The fire department noted that the injured were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, though some later reports indicated that a few passengers sustained moderate injuries. In response to the crash, Universal Studios Hollywood issued a statement on April 21st, announcing that tour operations had resumed on a modified route and emphasizing that a review of the incident was underway to ensure safety, which they affirmed remains a paramount concern.
UPDATE: Authorities confirm 15 people were injured after a tour tram crashed at Universal Studios Hollywood.https://t.co/3sUFRJax8B
— KTLA (@KTLA) April 21, 2024
The tram involved in the accident is part of a fleet that has been undergoing updates, with a transition from diesel-hydraulic power to electricity starting in 2022. It has not been confirmed whether the tram involved was a diesel model or one of the newer electric ones.
Universal Studios Hollywood’s trams are a staple attraction, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Universal lot where iconic movies like “Back to the Future,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “Jaws” were filmed. The park is preparing to celebrate the 60th anniversary of these tours, which originated in 1964, starting April 26th.
This recent incident is not the first accident involving the trams at Universal Studios; in 1986, during a special Halloween “Fright Nights” event, an employee named Paul Rebalde, aged 20, tragically lost his life after being run over by a tram.
