In brief
A Walt Disney World worker sustained injuries while stepping in front of a runaway 400-pound prop during a live stunt show, preventing potential harm to the audience. Disney confirmed the incident, stating the employee is recovering and emphasizing safety in their performances. The episode, which has drawn significant media attention, highlights the dramatic risks workers face at theme parks.
A worker at Walt Disney World is recovering after being injured by a 400-lb (180kg) runaway fake boulder prop in an incident caught on video, the Florida theme park confirmed.
The incident took place at the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! during a live recreation of a famous scene from the film.
Video shows the boulder rolling towards the audience as a staff member jumps into its path, preventing it from reaching the crowd.
We're focused on supporting our cast member, who is recovering, Disney said in a statement on Wednesday. Safety is at the heart of what we do, and that element of the show will be modified while our safety team completes a review of what happened.
The scene from 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark shows Indiana Jones - played by Harrison Ford - outrunning a giant boulder triggered by a booby trap, before leaping to safety.
Video of the incident on Tuesday shows the boulder bouncing off its tracks, then bounding towards the audience as a staff member steps in front and is knocked to the ground.
The staff member did not appear to stand up immediately, and other workers ran to his side.
According to a blog run by the park, the boulder prop is approximately 400-lbs and made of rubber.
A spokesperson for Disney did not confirm that the boulder was the cause of the incident, but told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that a prop moved off its track.
One witness told People magazine that the worker had saved the audience from being injured. It was a crazy experience and definitely one that we will remember.
In one video of the incident, a man behind the camera is heard saying: He literally saved our lives, that guy.
