When I was 5 my Dad was posted to CFB Baden Söllingen in Germany. One of our favorite places to visit when were were there was an amusement park called Europa Park in Rust, Germany. We went a few times a year each year that we were there, which was 6 years in total from January 1985 to July 1991. Every year I would look forward to our trips to Europa Park and to going on the rides. I am a huge amusement park fan and fan of roller coasters, flume rides and most other rides with the exception of ferris wheels or anything similar.

My mom told me today that one of my favorite rides Piraten in Batvia which was built in 1987 is on fire. I remember going on it when it first opened. It was a large water ride with big pirate ships that you get into and ride through a large building through a pirate themed land. Apparently the fire has completely destroyed the ride as well as apparently a large section of the park and damaged other rides as well. I was really sad to hear this. It was one of my favorite rides and I was looking forward to visiting again someday and seeing all the old rides I used to enjoy as well as the newer ones.

Europa Park is the most popular amusement park in Germany and second most after Disneyland Paris (formerly Euro Disney Resort) in Europe. From the media it says that no one was injured. Which is really a miracle since the park was full of people and from what I understand the ride was in use and people were on it when the fire sparked. A large section of the park the Scandanavian section was badly damaged or destroyed. I’m not sure if any other sections were destroyed or damaged. [...]  READ MORE