Carl O’Keeffe slipped and was trapped inside a narrow tunnel for four hours at the Kong Adventure Center in Keswick, Cumbria on April 22. A father who was ‘crushed to death’ in an indoor cave while playing with children at a birthday party. his daughter read a poem while she lay dying in the hospital, his family said.
The experienced climber from Lancaster, hailed as a ‘devoted father’, suffered crush injuries as emergency services including fire, air ambulance, and mountain rescuers rushed to try to free him. The 49-year-old man was rushed to hospital in Carlisle, where he tragically died yesterday surrounded by his family after being taken off life support.
It has since emerged that earlier concerns about the site’s safety have been raised, with some people worried about adults getting stuck in the narrow tunnels. Paying tribute to Mr. O’Keeffe, his sister Olivia Short revealed shortly before his death that she had been taken off life support and his heart was “broken”.
Carl O’Keeffe Casuse of Death
In a Facebook post before his death, she wrote: “The hospice team is now taking care of his pain. He is no longer distressed. He has brief moments of lucidity but can no longer speak. He heard a poem read by his daughter. And a story that [his son of him] chose about darkness.’
This was followed by the tragic confirmation that she had passed away in a separate post, in which she wrote: “Today [Sunday] at 3 p.m. I sat down with Carl and said goodbye forever. He was my little brother and over the years he became my best friend.
“I loved him very much and we were in touch every day doing word challenges and trading weird facts of nature. I was also able to spend alternate weekends with him and his children. I have been with him since his accident in Keswick on Saturday 22nd April. he was taken to the intensive care unit at Carlisle Hospital with crush injuries.
‘It became apparent that the injuries were severe and that he would not survive. Then they moved him to a private room and I was able to stay with him so he could die with some dignity. ‘Adam was with me and Carl for those last few days. He was my support and my rock, he got me through this unbearable time. My heart is broken. Like the rest of our family.
It can now be revealed that previous visitors to the tourist attraction have raised concerns about safety, with one person saying “it’s not a matter of if, but when a person is seriously injured.”
One person complained on TripAdvisor in 2017 that their 5-foot-10 companion also got stuck while spelunking indoors. She wrote that the man and his 12-year-old daughter were allowed into the cave “without supervision.” She got stuck almost immediately, trying to keep going thinking there would be an escape route at some point, but there wasn’t.
‘My daughter was very upset because she thought her stepfather was stuck. “He stayed calm for her sake, but he absolutely hated this experience. He managed to back off and we went back to reception. He ended by advising: “Don’t use spelunking unless you’re small and therefore this means most people can’t go in with their children.”
The center responded on TripAdvisor by saying: “We are very sorry about his experience at Kong Adventure and have offered a full apology, along with a full refund and an alternative activity was offered.” Once again, we would like to apologize.
Another visitor in October 2021 complained that his son “nearly sustained a serious head injury” during an incident while descending a climbing wall.
The person wrote: “For inexperienced children using the climbing wall, it is extremely unsafe due to this lack of supervision,” adding: “The instructor clearly couldn’t cope with watching numerous children climb and was incredibly rude and arrogant after the incident.” The person added: “The matter has been reported to local authorities, it is not a matter of if, but when a person is seriously injured.”
The venue responded by saying: ‘I understand that your child is the most precious thing in the world to you, just as everyone’s children are to us when they come to Kong. All our sessions are extremely safe and we have a very hard-working and experienced team of staff.
‘The instructor explained to all the children in the group how to climb the wall safely and how the auto belay system works to descend correctly. However, from time to time if children don’t follow the instructions correctly they can turn and fall off the wall and unfortunately, this has happened to your child and he has hit his head on one of the dams.
‘Also, the instructor did not deserve to be cursed and belittled in front of the entire climbing wall. It is unfortunate that this has happened, but climbing can be a dangerous activity.’
Keswick Mountain Rescue, which attended the scene on April 22 along with an air ambulance, fire crews, and cave rescuers, said O’Keeffe became trapped in a “narrow tunnel” as he tried to turn on the climbing wall. of Kong. “A multi-agency response was initiated and fire and rescue, police, ambulance, and the Keswick MRT quickly arrived on the scene.
“As this was a cave/confined space rescue operation, the Keswick MRT leader called in the Cumbrian Ore Mine Rescue Unit (COMRU), and the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) also assisted. “While the emergency services were deciding on evacuation plans, gym staff, assisted by visiting climbers, began dismantling sections of the gym to facilitate access to tunnels hidden behind wall panels.
“As time passed, there was increasing concern for the health of the trapped man, as he was in a static position in a confined space. ‘With this in mind, the doctor on the Keswick MRI team called the resources of GNAAS Helimed.
‘After a fantastic job by the gym staff, climbers, COMRU, and fire and rescue (with his specialist cutting team), the man was released from captivity. “He was then taken by ground ambulance to Carlisle Hospital for further check-ups and treatment.”
Gym staff, assisted by visiting climbers, dismantled sections of the gym to facilitate access to tunnels hidden behind wall panels. He was rushed to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, where he remained until his death. Shortly before he died, his daughter read him a poem, O’Keeffe’s sister said.
Mr O’Keeffe’s family paid tribute to the devoted father with a “brilliant mind” and said: “Carl was a devoted father and he will leave a huge void in his life.” ‘He was a strong supporter of the neurodiverse community. He taught people to learn what adjustments they needed in life and not just accept them but live them.
“He was often seen wearing dark glasses and a fedora because he was photophobic. He had a brilliant mind and was in the process of applying to start a Ph.D. in astrophysics.
“He was fascinated by solar storms and had been predicting the one that happened this week while he was sleeping. He spent years tattooing NASA’s Hubble photos on his arm. “We cannot stress enough the incredible job that the emergency services did in very difficult circumstances.”
The grieving friends also paid their final respects to the ‘devoted father’. One woman said: ‘Carl was a lovely guy, a dedicated father, and a wonderful advocate for children and adults with autism. Thinking of his family and his children at this incredibly sad time. Another person added: ‘Life is so unfair and cruel. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Others spoke of his disbelief at the heartbreaking accident. ‘What an absolute tragedy, I feel so sorry for his family, his poor children, that one day of adventure ended in the loss of his father. So heartbreaking,’ one woman said on social media.
O’Keeffe’s family said more than 50 people were involved in the rescue. The incident was attended by six Cumbrian Fire and Rescue teams, police, Keswick Mountain Rescue, Cumbria Ore Mine Rescue Unit, Great North Air Ambulance and the Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Team from the Northwest.
A Cumberland Council spokesman said: “We were notified of an incident that took place at the Kong Adventure Centre, Keswick, and we are investigating the matter, as a regulatory body.”
Earlier in the week, a Kong Adventure Center spokesperson said: “On Saturday 22 April, a member of the public became trapped in the Kong Adventure cave system. Staff tried to help the man and followed all emergency procedures, but it became clear that outside help was needed.
Kong’s fire team, mountain rescue, cave rescue, paramedics, and personnel worked to extricate the victim who was taken to Carlisle Hospital for further treatment. In a statement following Mr. O’Keeffe’s death, a spokesperson for the adventure center added: “All Kong Adventure staff are shocked and saddened to hear this terrible news.” Our thoughts at this time are with family, friends, and everyone involved.”
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