Transvaal Park was a waterpark located in Yasenevo, near Moscow in Russia. It was based on the South African province of Transvaal and had an African theme. It included heated pools and a tubing river however in February 2008 the roof collapsed killing 28 people. The park has been abandoned ever since. If you’re interested in abandoned waterparks, check out our posts about Aquatic Paradis and Disney’s River Country.

The following news report about the accident comes from the New York Times –

The snow-covered glass roof of a Moscow water park collapsed Saturday evening onto hundreds of people, killing at least 21, including three children, and injuring 106, the authorities said.

Initial reports said the roof at Transvaal Park collapsed after an explosion, but Moscow’s mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, and other officials later said there was no evidence of a blast.

Investigators were considering various theories, including an accumulation of snow, the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, or the seepage of water into the concrete supports.

Four bodies, including a child’s, were recovered from the rubble early Sunday, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported, citing the Emergency Situations Ministry.

The roof collapsed about 7:30 p.m. as the water park in Moscow’s southwestern suburbs was filled with people basking in its heat while temperatures outside hovered around 5 degrees. About 800 people were in the complex, an emergency official said. Rescue workers rushed bloodied, moaning people clad in bikinis and swim trunks on stretchers to waiting ambulances.

Location: Yasenevo, Russia

Category: Theme Park

Abandoned: 2008