An animatronic T-Rex at a Colorado theme park finally joined his flesh & blood kin on the ash heap of history after a (Jurassic) spark set off a roaring conflagration of fire and fury.
Zach and Carman Reynolds, owners of the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience in Canon City, Colorado aren't blaming a wayward asteroid for turning their star animatronic attraction (shown above in better days) into something resembling a fire-breathing dragon. You can watch a short video (vertical, unfortunately – come on, people!) of the spectacular immolation here.
"We always knew T-Rex had a temper but today he blew his top," the owners stated on the park's Facebook account. "There was an unfortunate (and rare) electrical issue with our mighty T-Rex and he is no longer. You might even say... extinct." Heh, maybe Gary Larson was right – "smoking" really was the real reason the dinosaurs went extinct. We're looking at you, Pinkie.
No one suffered any injuries from the fire (the dino excluded) thanks to quick action by park staff members who ensured guests were kept at a safe distance. "Safety of our guests and staff is of the utmost importance,” explained the owners, “and we assure everyone that we are perfectly safe."
As for the irreparably charred T-Rex, well, he won't be rising phoenix-like from the ashes. Instead, the park owners hope to obtain a replacement T-Rex "as soon as possible." History repeats: mammals will once again replace the dinosaurs!
