JERUSALEM (AP) — A 10-year-old boy was hospitalized after suffering an electric shock on a bumper car ride at a private amusement park in Kiryat Motzkin, northern Israel, prompting safety concerns and a municipal investigation.
The incident occurred last Thursday after the boy and his family, residents of central Israel, spent the day at a nearby water festival. According to his parents, the child, still wet and barefoot from a water attraction, entered the bumper car ride at the Luna Hai Park and was shocked when the ride was activated.
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The bumper car ride at Luna Hai Park, Kiryat Motzkin
(Photo: Kiryat Motzkin municipality)
“What was supposed to be a family outing ended in our son being hospitalized,” the parents said, describing the experience as “a nightmare.” They said young attendants operated the ride, no safety checks were enforced and no signs warned against entering barefoot.
The boy’s father alleged that staff failed to stop the ride even as the child screamed in pain, and that workers mocked the family instead of calling for medical help. The boy was later treated overnight in hospital and is recovering, though his parents say he remains traumatized.
In a letter to the park and the city’s community center network, the father demanded the ride be shut down until a full safety review is conducted, warning of possible legal action.
Kiryat Motzkin Mayor Tziki Avishar said he first learned of the incident through media reports and stressed the park is a privately run business, not part of the city. The municipality said the facility holds a valid business license but summoned its operator for a formal hearing.
“The municipality views the incident with utmost severity,” wrote Zion Adiri, head of licensing at city hall, in a notice to the operator. He said the park could face administrative action, including possible revocation of its license.
City officials said the operator presented required safety certificates, but they found significant lapses in staff conduct, including failure to report the incident in real time. The municipality said workers will undergo retraining to ensure compliance with safety protocols.
The park operator said the boy entered the ride area barefoot and without permission, and that staff had twice denied him entry. He said the ride operates at a low voltage of 12–24 volts and insisted it was shut down immediately. “We regret the incident,” the operator said. “The park is run with all necessary licenses and approvals, and our goal is to bring joy to children.”
Municipal officials said they were continuing to review the case and pledged that “visitor safety remains the top priority.”