Naman Shrestha
In June 2024, the Lambeth Country Fair became the venue for the opposite of fun and enjoyment as a fairground ride malfunctioned and left multiple individuals severely wounded. Two of them were 11-year-old Silvana-Rose Douglas and her grandfather, Sebastiano. The entire ordeal is covered in the first episode of Netflix’s ‘Critical: Between Life and Death,’ which is a six-part documentary series that follows different trauma centers in London and how they treat patients with critical injuries. When Silvana and Sebastiano were rushed to the hospital, things didn’t look good for them, but the hard-working unit managed to heal them.
Silvana and Sebastiano Were Severely Injured While Waiting to Get on the Ride
Born to Loredana Musumeci, Silvana-Rose Douglas was surprised by her grandfather, Sebastiano, on the morning of June 8, 2024. Having taken a day off from working in his ice cream van, Sebastiano took his 11-year-old granddaughter to the Lambeth Country Fair in Brockwell Park, unaware that a horrific disaster awaited them. While they waited in a queue to get on a fairground ride, it malfunctioned and sent debris flying around the ride. In order to protect Silvana from getting hit, Sebastiano reportedly put himself between her and a speaker.
With critical injuries, both Silvana and Sebastiano were rushed to the hospital. The former suffered injuries to her lower back, legs, and pelvis, while her grandfather had his face smashed by the speaker, resulting in a concussion and multiple fractures on his nose. The doctors and nurses treated both of their injuries competently and helped them recover completely. Both of them were supported and cared for by their family during their time at the hospital.
Silvana and Sebastiano’s Family Continues to Demand Justice From the Authorities
Hailing from Southeast London, Silvana-Rose Douglas was on crutches for a while after being discharged from the hospital. Meanwhile, Sebastiano also felt lucky to be alive when he was discharged. With the constant support of his wife, Daniela, and daughter, Marcia, he managed to get back to his normal life soon. However, since the family operated an ice cream van at the fun fair, their business was affected as they had to go to different locations to find work. About 10 days after the incident, Silvana was still deeply affected by it. As per her mother, Loredana Musumeci, the 11-year-old girl “doesn’t sleep, she has flashbacks.”
She told The Standard, “It’s a lot for a little girl to deal with. She is in a bad way. She’s got pains in her back, feet, spine, neck, she’s on crutches, can’t even go back to school.” Moreover, Sebastiano’s wife, Daniela Musumeci, also demanded answers as to how and why the incident occurred. She asked, “What was the malfunction? Why wasn’t it checked before? The ride was shut down that evening but the fun fair was still going.” She also demanded justice, saying, “I just want these people to pay. Not money-wise. I want justice. People are seriously injured and they’re not caring.”
Addressing the incident, a Lambeth Council spokesperson stated, “We are deeply saddened by the fairground incident at the Lambeth Country Show, it is really shocking, and our thoughts are with those who were injured and their families. We take health and safety incredibly seriously, and all relevant safety certification was provided in advance of the event.” An investigation into the incident, led by the Met Police and Health and Safety Executive, is underway. We are committed to fully playing our role in that investigation, and ensuring families get the answers they deserve,” the spokesperson elaborated.
Several weeks later, the case was handed over to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who forensically examined the faulty ride. The HSE inspector Stacey Gamwell claimed that they would continue investigating the entire situation and “determine whether there were any breaches of health and safety law at the time of this incident.” She told Southwark News, “Once we have finished our investigation, a decision will then be made on whether formal enforcement is required in line with our enforcement policy. We remain in contact with those affected by the ride’s malfunction and will keep them updated throughout our investigation.” Still seemingly residing in London, England, Silvana and Sebastiano continue sharing a close bond and frequently get together during family reunions.
Read More: Alison and Nick: Where Are the Lambeth Ride Accident Survivors Now?
