Horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park were temporarily suspended after a deadly accident involving a runaway carriage. Officials ordered all rides to stop in the wake of the incident. On the day after, not a single horse-drawn carriage could be seen rolling through the park.
The accident killed an 18-year-old tourist who was visiting from India. He was identified as Romanik Mahajan. According to authorities, he was thrown from the carriage after the horse was spooked and suddenly ran off.
The accident happened in a very busy section of Central Park. It unfolded in an area used by visitors and tourists throughout the day. The sudden nature of the incident left those nearby shaken as emergency crews responded.
Officials moved to halt the rides, ordering all carriage operations to temporarily stop. The carriage union suspended operations a day after the accident. The decision brought an unusual quiet to a part of the park long associated with the carriages.
Representatives for the carriage industry said they hope to return the horses to the park when the time is appropriate. They said the horses are used to a routine of walking and exercising in the park. They described wanting to bring the business back in a careful way.
The death immediately renewed calls for the carriage horse industry to be banned permanently. Advocacy groups including PETA and NY Class have long pushed to put an end to the horse-drawn carriage trade. They pointed to the accident as further reason for their campaign.
The latest accident followed another troubling incident in recent days. Last week, a horse that ate a poisonous plant collapsed in Central Park and died. Together, the events have intensified the debate over the future of the carriage horses.