ANAHEIM, Calif. - State officials were investigating the cause of an accident at Disneyland that led to the hospitalization of a machinist working on a ride at the Anaheim theme park.

The 68-year-old machinist was testing a vehicle that had been rehabilitated on the Space Mountain attraction when the accident happened on Oct. 3 about 9:45 p.m., said Erika Monterroza of the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA.

The man, whose name was not released, suffered back, chest and head injuries when the vehicle struck him, Monterroza said. The employee was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, according to Monterroza.

Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown issued a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers are with our cast member and his family. On behalf of his fellow cast members, we offer our heartfelt wishes for a full and speedy recovery."

Cal OSHA investigators can take up to six months to review what happened, but on average such investigations usually take three to four months, Monterroza said.