Inspectors find rotten beams, rusted bolts holding up Rye roller coaster

Thrill seekers better hope the famed Dragon Coaster at Playland amusement park in Rye doesn’t start breathing fire!

Inspectors found rotten wooden beams holding up the 90-year-old coaster and rusted bolts securing the wood, according to reports prepared in November 2017 and August 2018.

“To ensure rider safety, all cases of visible rot and all square head bolts should be replaced.” James Swinden, design engineer for Great Coasters International wrote in the Aug. 31, 2018, report, obtained by The Post.

The report “theorized” based on visual inspections, that a large number of the square head bolts on the coaster were rusted completely. The company recommended examining a sample, and if a majority were not in good condition, all should be replaced prior to Saturday’s opening.

The amusement park dates to 1928 and is operated by Westchester County.

The reports were requested by Standard Amusements, a company that was to take over the management of Playland in the fall, a deal that was scrapped by County Executive George Latimer earlier this month.

“We addressed all of those issues and actually more,” Deputy Parks Commissioner Peter Tartaglia said about the Great Coasters report.

But Tartaglia said not every bolt was replaced because that wasn’t necessary.

“Some bolts that you may see that might have rust on the outside does not mean the integrity of the bolt has any issues at all. We’ve replaced a lot of bolts … which didn’t necessarily need to be replaced but they were replaced anyway,” Tartaglia said.

The county released a letter from Savin Engineers based on an inspection done Thursday saying the bolt replacement had been “completed adequately.”

Tartaglia said the state Department of Labor issued an operating permit for the coaster last week and the ride is inspected daily before the park opens