ORLANDO, Fla. _ On the final day of their Orlando vacation Sunday, Sarah Carlino of Boston and her two sisters walked at Volcano Bay when her siblings both unexpectedly reacted in pain.
They both felt like they were "zapped" on their feet, Carlino said, expressing frustration about what she called Universal's slow response when guests reported being electrically shocked.
Universal would not say much about what happened Sunday at its water park other than to blame "technical issues."
The water park, which recently celebrated its two-year anniversary and had reportedly 1.73 million visitors in 2018, was open again Monday after closing early Sunday.
Three people were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center and one to Dr. Phillips Hospital after the Orlando Fire Department responded at 4:44 p.m. Sunday, said Ashley Papagni, the Fire Department's public information officer.
A small group of workers at Universal's Volcano Bay were taken to the hospital on Sunday as a cautionary measure, Universal spokesman Tom Schroder had said in a statement Sunday.
The employees were later released from the hospital, Schroder added. His statement made no mention of any injuries to guests.
Universal declined to comment further Monday.
A Universal lifeguard, who declined to use her name because of fear of losing her job, said she had been told there was a wiring short at the Krakatau Aqua Coaster. The park's centerpiece ride that goes through the towering 200-foot volcano that can be seen from Interstate 4 had recently been rewired, she said.
"We were telling our supervisor our legs are going numb, we can feel things radiating through our bodies," the lifeguard said, describing how she felt Sunday afternoon.
But she stayed in the water anyway.
"Everybody knows if you leave your post, it's grounds for termination," the lifeguard said.
Carlino, 32, said her sisters were electrically shocked several hours earlier at about 11 or 11:30 a.m.
Carlino's frustrations were from with Universal's response after she explained what happened to a manager, she said.
"She didn't believe what we were saying," Carlino said. "They weren't (taking) this seriously."
It took about 10 minutes before the area by the lazy river near the aqua coaster was closed, Carlino said. The park would later shut down that day.
Carlino said an ambulance came to the scene and first responders cleared her sisters who were not taken to the hospital.
"They need to be held accountable," Carlino said. "What if somebody had a pacemaker? Or there was a child?"
