Iceberg wall collapse injures five at Titanic in Pigeon Forge

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Five guests have been injured due to an iceberg wall collapse at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge.

Pigeon Forge Police responded to the museum around 7:56 p.m. Monday. Officers said they arrived to find that a wall of ice display fell and injured several visitors.

Three people were transported to area hospitals, officials said. The extent of their injuries are unknown, according to officials.

According to police, preliminary evidence indicates the incident was accidental.

“Needless to say, we never would have expected an incident like this to occur as the safety of our guests and team members is always top of mind,” Owners, Mary Kellogg Joslyn and John Joslyn said. “We take pride in the quality of our maintenance and have measures in place to ensure that appropriate safety guidelines are upheld. At this time, our attraction is closed. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured, as well as their family and friends.”

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge allows “passengers” to experience the environment of the Titanic. The tour is self-guided, allows visitors to touch a real iceberg, reach their hand in 28-degree water, shovel “coal” and try to stand on a sloping deck, according to their website.

Immediately following the incident, the museum closed. The museum reopened Tuesday, Aug. 3 to ticketed passengers. According to a statement released by the museum, the iceberg wall does not currently exist. The impacted area has been blocked off for the time being. The museum expects repairs to take at least four weeks.

The museum released the following statement:

“At this time, we do not know the extent of their injuries, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all who were affected, including the first-responders.

The safety of our guests and team members is always top of mind. Our maintenance professionals are in the process of re-evaluating our quality and safety guidelines and we’ll make all modifications, as necessary, to proactively ensure the well-being of all who experience Titanic Museum Attractions.”

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