Tragic Death on the Playground Focuses on Play Structure

According the manufacturer's specs, the X-Wave, named for its wave-like motion, is made of three PVC-dipped 12-guage (7/64'') perforated steel sections. There are three 1'' dia. steel tube legs holding the structure up, two no pinch hinges (four hinge plates) that allow the three sections to move up and down. The equipment piece weighs in at a surprising 410 pounds. It is 23.8 ft. long and 10'' wide. The seated fall height is at most 42 inches. The stated capacity is 20 children (5-12 years old). The equipment has been tested and complies with IPEMA standards. Photo: Playmotion Product Specification pdf.

A nine-year-old girl died August 19, 2010 two hours after having an accident on the elementary school playground in Wyandotte, Okla. The local paper in this far northeastern section of Oklahoma reported the girl fell off the X-Wave onto the playground's wood-chip safety surfacing. The play structure is a kind of modern version of a see-saw, except it has three nearly 8-ft. long sections connected by two hinges that allow the separate segments to move up and down. It's reported the girl, who was playing on the equipment with several other kids, may have fallen off near one of the hinged parts and when she righted herself, struck her head on the equipment.

It's reported that when the Quapaw tribal fire and rescue unit arrived on the scene, the girl was in cardiac arrest and CPR was performed. It's also reported the ER doctor said there were no external signs of trauma.

The play structure has been ''secured'' and will not be used again. The new piece of playground equipment had been in use only two days.

Following this heart-wrenching accident, Coronado Elementary School in Putnam City, which is in the west central part of the state, has decided not to let its kids play on the same piece of equipment.