The state Department of Labor is investigating an accident at Zoom Flume Water Park that seriously injured a minister visiting the park with his church youth group.

The Rev. Paul Meador suffered injuries to his lower legs on the 150-foot flume ride last Saturday at the Greene County water park. Meador is pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Coeymans Hollow and First United Methodist Church in Dormansville.

The Rev. Jim Moore, the Catskill Hudson district superintendent for The United Methodist Church, posted a note on his Facebook page asking people to pray for Meador.

"Last Saturday Paul took his youth group to a water park and went down a slide for which the landing pool had not been filled," Moore wrote. "With no water to slow him he crashed at full speed into a concrete wall and he has multiple broken bones in his feet, ankles and legs."

Moore said Meador has already undergone two surgeries at Albany Medical Center and has more to come.

"It is expected that he will be there for two or three weeks, and that he will have to use a wheelchair for the next 6 months," Moore wrote.

Denise Kerrigan, owner of the East Durham water park, told the Times Union earlier this week that the ride appeared to be operating properly. Kerrigan, who could not be reached Friday, had said it was a "fluke accident" and nothing like it had happened before.

Kerrigan said the flume has a run-out at the end of the slide and Meador traveled the length of the run-out and hit the wall at the end.

"We feel terrible about this accident," Kerrigan said.

A spokesman for the state Department of Labor confirmed that the accident is being investigated, but declined to comment further, saying it was an active investigation.

Moore wrote in his post "I spoke with Paul this evening, and he is facing this challenge as a man of faith. His churches are supportive, as is his family, but there is a long journey ahead. Please pray for him, his family, and the churches as they make the journey of healing together."

ccrowley@timesunion.com • 518-454-5348 • @cathleencrowley • http://facebook.com/cathleenFcrowley