Disney Cast Member dies after accident at Hollywood Studios

[Stu]

[17 Aug 2009] Officials say a Walt Disney World cast member died after an accident at the Hollywood Studios theme park.

A Disney spokeswoman says a stunt performer was injured Monday evening while rehearsing for the "Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular." The performer, who was hurt while doing a tumbling roll, was transported to the hospital and later died.

"We lost a valued cast member and our thoughts are with his family, friends and co-workers as they mourn his passing tonight," read a statement released to FOX 35 by the Walt Disney Company.

Disney officials notified the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Orange County Sheriff's Office of the accident.

Out of respect for the deceased cast member, Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez says the Indiana Jones show will not be performed Tuesday.

Stunt performer Anislav Varbanov, 30, was fatally injured during a rehearsal for the " Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular." He was doing a tumbling roll after 7 p.m. when he was hurt.

Disney workers dialed 911 at 7:34 p.m. to report that a cast member sustained a head injury. Varbanov was rushed to Florida Hospital Celebration Health, where he was pronounced dead at 8:53 p.m., Orange County sheriff's deputies said.

Varbanov was the the third cast member in seven weeks to die after sustaining injuries while working.

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[Kimber03]

Very sad news

3 fatal accidents in seven weeks is very bad for any industry/company.

[hayleyandhilda]

OMG not another one

its begining to sound like a very risky job working for Disney although i know these are accidents health and safty must be over run at the moment

my thoughts are with the family and friends that have lost their loved one

[kaboomba]

this is awful, seems to be alot of accidents lately for Disney, thoughts are with the families!

[Guest]

My thoughts are with the family

XX

[summersun]

prays and thoughts are with the family

[Bats]

What a horrific run Disney is having right now.

Thoughts are with the CMs family and friends.x

[Guest]

Always a favourite show of mine and my thoughts are with the CM and his family... so sad and tragic.

Gordon

[cerigirl]

How very awful - I cannot believe that WDW is having such terrible luck with these tragedies at the moment. Sending love to all the family involved, the friends, cast members and those who witnessed it.

[ursula]

Goodness me they are not having a very good time at the moment. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

Apart from the monorail incident, the other two do sound like poor accidents and nothing that Disney could do about either of them. It still makes all the CM's deaths very sad though.