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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina's labor department is changing the way it inspects the state's amusement rides in the wake of a children's train ride accident that killed a 6-year-old boy.

Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation director Catherine Templeton said Wednesday that the department would use specially licensed outside contractors to review amusement rides and elevators. That work has been done by state employees.  Read the press release here. 

Benji Easler was killed March 19 when a train ride derailed at a Spartanburg park. Dozens were injured.

The Associated Press reported in May that the inspector fired after he falsified a report about the ride that cleared it to run had issued only one violation in more than three years of examining rides.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)