Incidents at Six Flags parks

The following article is a summary of notable incidents at any of the amusement parks and water parks that are operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. In some cases, these incidents occurred while the park was under different management or ownership.

This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly noteworthy. The term incidents refers to major accidents, injuries, or deaths that occur at a park. While these incidents were required to be reported to regulatory authorities due to where they occurred, they usually fall into one of the following categories:

1. Caused by negligence on the part of the guest. This can be refusal to follow specific ride safety instructions, or deliberate intent to violate park rules.
2. The result of a guest's known, or unknown, health issues.
3. Negligence on the part of the park, either by ride operator or maintenance safety instructions, or deliberate intent to violate park rules.
4. Act of God or a generic accident (e.g., lightning strike, slipping and falling), that is not a direct result of an action on anybody's part.

Great Escape

Sky Ride

• On June 24, 2017, a 14-year-old girl from Greenwood, Delaware fell approximately 25 feet (8 m) from her gondola, striking a tree before falling to the ground. The girl had slipped under the chair's safety bar while the ride was in motion. The ride was stopped when park visitors alerted the operators to the incident, while other visitors gathered underneath the girl to prepare to catch her. She ultimately fell into the group of visitors below her, with an unidentified 47-year-old man receiving a back injury from the attempt. The passenger received no serious injuries, and was taken to Albany Medical Center. Park officials stated that there did not appear to be a malfunction of the ride, but closed the ride pending review. [1] The ride later reopened, with added restraints to prevent any future accidents. [2]

La Ronde

Le Vampire

• On July 6, 2012, a 67-year-old employee of the park was killed at Le Vampire. The employee was reportedly found underneath the attraction in a restricted area, appearing to have suffered head trauma. Park officials stated that the employee had been struck by the roller coaster. The employee was pronounced dead at the scene; another individual was taken to a hospital to be treated for shock. Officials with the park did not know why the employee entered the restricted area of the ride while it was operational, but they did state that the ride was operating normally and that procedures for entering restricted ride areas, including notification of ride staff, had not been followed.[3]

Grande Roue

• On August 21, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. a film crew was involved in an incident in which two gondolas flipped over and the crew were stuck 20 feet (6.1 m) in the air. The park was not open to the public at the time. No one was injured. Firefighters rescued the crew within 30 minutes and speculated that the gondolas flipped due to heavy equipment causing instability. The ride remains closed until further inspection deems it is safe to operate. La Ronde said in a statement "The safety of our guest and employees is our highest priority."[4]

Super Manège

• On August 25, 2019, a passenger's safety harness broke off when one of the trains climbed on Sunday, causing an emergency stop. Safety sensors on the Super Manège stopped the initial climb of the train. This was the ride's final day of operation, and the ride closed earlier than intended. All passengers were evacuated from the area to continue their visit to the park.[5]

Six Flags America

Hurricane Harbor

• On July 4, 2005, a 29-year-old woman was found unconscious after coming down the Shark Attack waterslide. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she later died after suffering from a sudden heart attack.[6]
• On June 13, 2018, a 14-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital in critical condition after he was rescued from the Wave Pool. Park staff and paramedics treated the boy before he was transported to the hospital.[7]

The Joker's Jinx

• On August 10, 2014, at about 3 p.m. in the afternoon, 24 riders were trapped on the coaster when a train stalled along the course. The train was upright on a curve near one of the highest points on the ride. The local fire department used an aerial fire apparatus to bring down riders one at a time. By 7:30pm local time, all riders had been removed from the ride, which was immediately closed for investigation. Investigators claim that the stalled train was caused by debris on the track. No riders were injured and all were evacuated by emergency personnel.[8]
• On April 13, 2017, at a little before 6 p.m., the ride stalled along the same length as the 2014 incident. A bunch of riders were left stuck on the train, and firefighters rescued all of the riders on the coaster with the help of an aerial fire apparatus by 9:20 PM, more than two hours after the park's closing, and almost four hours after the train stalled.[9]

Octopus

• On August 3, 2007, a 6-year-old girl fell from the Octopus while the ride was in motion and suffered minor injuries to her head, hip, and leg. Park officials said that they believe the girl fell because she was standing up while the ride was moving.[10]

Other incidents involving guests

• On September 26, 2014, a 15-year-old boy from Prince George's County, Maryland was severely injured in the parking lot during its annual Fright Fest event after a fight broke out. He was punched twice by someone, fell to the ground in the parking lot and smashed his head onto the concrete. The boy was put into a medically induced coma and taken to a hospital; there, he underwent a head surgery, in which a portion of his skull was removed, so that his swollen brain could expand and heal. Two more people were injured in the incident and were also hospitalized.[11]

Park Bomb Scare

• On July 13, 2016, a bomb threat was called in right before the park opened. The Prince George's County Fire Department bomb squad and security personnel were deployed around the park and found two unattended backpacks that were determined not to be explosive. The all-clear was announced after a search of the park around 2:45 p.m. Six Flags announced that the park would be open until 8 p.m. that evening.[12]

Renegade Rapids

• On June 28, 2000, eight people were trapped when their raft overturned during the ride. All riders escaped but two were injured.[13]

Six Flags AstroWorld

Alpine Sleigh Ride

• On January 12, 1974, a woman suffered injuries after the car she was in was struck from behind by another car.[14]

Excalibur

• On August 9, 1997, a 51-year old maintenance worker was killed after being struck by a roller coaster train. The man was working on a section of track when the train was sent out for a test run.[15]

Mayan Mindbender

• In 2001, a 13-year-old boy was ejected from the ride due to a faulty lap bar and suffered broken bones in his head, pelvis and legs.[16]

Texas Cyclone

• On August 18, 1977, a 15-year-old girl was injured after falling 15 feet (4.6 m) from the ride. A park manager claimed that her lap bar might have came undone during the ride.[17]
• On October 19, 2003, seven people were treated and released from a local hospital after a wooden board fell into the middle of a roller coaster train while the ride was running.[18]

Texas Tornado

• On May 10, 1998, a six-car train had nearly reached the top of the first hill when smoke began wafting from the track. The coaster lost its grip on the chain lift, slid back down the hill into the loading station and crashed into a fully occupied train. Seven people went to the hospital and at least two sued after developing neck and back problems.[19]

Six Flags Darien Lake

• On September 6, 2009, the body of a Pennsylvania man, William Sutherland, who had been reported missing the day, was found in one of the small lakes located inside of the parking lot. The cause of his death was not determined.[20]

Mind Eraser

• On May 13, 2018, an arm rest broke off one of the chairs when the ride was moving. No injuries were reported to any of the guests who were using it. Since then, it has been replaced with a new one.[21]

The Predator

• On October 5, 2019, a 36-year-old man from Livonia, Michigan suffered shoulder and spinal injuries while riding the coaster. The incident resulted where one of the cars' seats had a broken headrest.[22]

Ride of Steel

• On May 16, 1999, a 37-year-old male guest was unable to close his lap bar properly and was ejected and fell approximately 9 feet (3 m) from the Ride of Steel roller coaster as the ride went over a camelback hill, suffering serious injuries. The victim sued the park and the ride manufacturer Intamin for negligence, and was awarded US$3.95 million.[23]

• On July 8, 2011, a 29-year-old U.S. Army veteran, who went by the name of James Hackemer, fell to his death from the coaster. The rider, an Iraq War veteran whose legs had been amputated, was in the front row of the roller coaster when he was thrown from the train during the course. Officials decided that operator error was the cause for the accident. The investigators claimed that park workers didn't adhere to rules advertised at the entrance of the ride. The rules required riders to have both legs.[24]

Silver Bullet

• On September 30, 2017, a malfunction left cars swinging, injuring a few guests.[25]

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Animal attacks and deaths

• On January 5, 1996, two trainers were injured by cougars during an exercise session. One trainer was in the cougar enclosure to take one of the animals for a walk. The cougars, Zuni and Tonto, had been playing among themselves and began aggressively playing with him, causing severe cuts on his face and upper torso. The backup trainer suffered minor cuts and bruises in his attempt to free the other.[26]
• On July 31, 1998, Kuma, a two-year-old Bengal tiger, attacked and seriously injured a guest from San Jose, California, and slightly injured the trainer. The incident happened in a secluded area of the park set up to do private photo sessions with the big cats. The tiger was apparently startled when the guest fell off the photo platform and landed on top of her. The trainer suffered a clawing while trying to free the guest, who had received serious injuries to her head and upper torso.[27]
• On June 2, 2004, a 23-year-old African elephant named Misha gored her trainer while in her enclosure as the trainer walked beside her. This was Misha's second aggressive act following a previous swipe at a trainer two years prior.[28]
• On September 5, 2007, a two-year-old giraffe died after a fire broke out overnight and its enclosure was destroyed. The animal was accompanied by two more who escaped. Investigators believed the fire was caused by an electrical short.[29]

Batman Water Thrill Spectacular Show

• On June 6, 1999, a 38-year-old stuntman was injured, while doing a performance, after being thrown off a jet ski and was hit on the head by another one that was coming towards him. He was taken to John Muir Medical Center by a helicopter where he suffered a small cut in his head.[30]

Boomerang

• On August 25, 1999, 28 passengers were stranded on the Boomerang ride for several hours. The shuttle that pulled the train up an incline failed to release the train. Employees were eventually able to fix the problem and started the coaster. It successfully went around both inversions on its first run, but stalled upside down at the peak of one of the inversions on its way back and idled there for many hours. Riders, suffering from cases of severe dehydration and sunburn, were rescued by firefighters in an aerial fire apparatus.[31]

Monkey Business

• On August 15, 2001, a 42-year-old woman suffered a brain hemorrhage after riding the attraction and died at Kaiser Hospital two days later from her injuries.[32]

Other incidents involving guests

• On July 3, 2010, one of the parking lot trams hit a swinging metal gate after someone accidentally pushed it which resulted in three people to become injured at the scene. A 34-year-old man and his 2-year-old son were both taken to the hospital while another suffered minor injuries.[33]
• On August 25, 2018, a fight broke out inside the park between five people, who were all arrested for causing a disturbance while a police officer suffered minor injuries.[34]

Scat-a-bout

• On September 4, 1999, a nine-year-old boy was injured when he slipped below the restraining bar on the Scat-a-bout, a twister ride. The boy was thrown from the ride and landed in a nearby planter, receiving cuts on his legs.[35] The park later stated that the accident was the result of the boy intentionally sliding beneath the safety restraint.[36]

Starfish

• In May 2001, a 41-year-old woman from Antioch, California was thrown from the ride when a restraining bar failed as the result of a pneumatic valve being incorrectly installed. She landed on the pavement and suffered head and knee injuries. Her later lawsuit named both the park and ride manufacturer Chance Rides as responsible parties.[37]
• On June 8, 2002, a 4-year-old girl was critically injured when she slipped beneath the restraining bar and fell from the Starfish ride while riding with her mother, receiving critical head injuries.[38] Investigators later blamed park employees for incorrectly seating the girl and not having proper signage indicating the proper seating arrangement for a larger and smaller rider.[39]

Six Flags Elitch Gardens

Six Flags Fiesta Texas

• On July 8, 2000, seven people were injured after a chlorine spill. They were all taken to local hospitals and released without any serious injuries.[40]

Other incidents involving guests

• On July 11, 2007, a 37-year-old man was charged with improper photography and recording after allegedly acting suspiciously with a video camera by secretly filming young girls in the water park section. Reports have said he was trying to film someone without permission in an attempt to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of a person.[41]

Poltergeist

• On June 12, 2007, a 14-year-old girl was paralyzed after she fell into a gap between the roller coaster's cars, landing on a concrete floor about 10 feet (3 m) below the platform. Family members stated that she may have fainted due to the heat of the day.[42]
• On August 28, 2010, two people were stuck on the Poltergeist for two hours.[43]

Frontier City

Mystery River Log Flume

• On June 14, 2002, three people were injured on the ride when two boats bumped into each other. The three, all from Ada, Oklahoma, were taken to St. Anthony Hospital and treated in the emergency room. The Emergency Medical Systems Authority was called at about 9 p.m. to respond after the riders complained of back and neck injuries.[44]
• On June 23, 2019, a woman suffered back injuries while riding on the log flume. She slid backwards and hit herself on a pole. A park spokesperson said that the ride's vehicle was already inspected and found to be operating normally.[45]

Wildcat

• On June 21, 2019, two riders were injured as a falling tree branch toppled on top of them while on the coaster. One of them was taken to a nearby hospital while the other treated with minor injuries. The ride remained closed following an investigation and later reopened.[46]

Six Flags Great Adventure

Batman and Robin: The Chiller

• In May 2004, the ride malfunctioned when one of the ride's 200 electric motors began smoking. The ride was shut down for 45 minutes.[47]
• On June 2, 2006, two cars on the original Robin train were damaged as a wheel bogie on the third car suffered a mechanical malfunction. No one was hurt in the accident and passengers had to be evacuated. The coaster was closed for the rest of the 2006 season. Decorated cobwebs covered the queue line during Fright Fest. In 2007, the zero-g rolls were removed from both sides and the Batman train was repainted red. The Robin side would reopen on April 7, 2007, but a second wheel bogie malfunction would occur on June 28. The ride was shut down because of this. Instead of spending more money to fix the ride which had constant issues, Six Flags decided that the Chiller's time in the park had come to an end. The cost to fix the ride would not be worth it and they could not be confident in its ability to operate consistently. The coaster was swiftly dismantled in the fall of 2007.[48]

Congo Rapids

• On August 20, 1998, eight people suffered minor injuries after a rope underneath the raft was caught on an object, thus making it suddenly stop.[49]
• On July 15, 2012, a goose was trapped in the ride's conveyor belt. Park staff stopped the belt to prevent the rafts from going any further, but the goose was killed instantly after the ride continued to operate.[50]

El Diablo

• On September 13, 2015, a girl from Gibbstown, New Jersey was injured when her safety restraints came undone as the ride started. As she exited the ride, it was shut down for technical difficulties. Two years later in 2017, her family filed a lawsuit to the park claiming that the staff didn't check them before they were secure. Currently, the ride is no longer at the park. [51]

El Toro

• On August 19, 2016, a woman was injured after being struck in the face by an unknown object while riding the coaster. She was treated by the park medical staff before being taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. The attraction re-opened the next day after park officials fully inspected the ride to make sure that it was running safely.[52]

Other incidents involving guests

• On March 31, 1986, three parkgoers were stabbed in two separate incidents including an attempted robbery inside the park.[53]
• On April 19, 1987, an unidentified gunman fired several shots into a crowd on the plaza inside the main gate, wounding one man and sending panicked guests running for safety. It was the third violent incident of the day, following two earlier unrelated stabbings. The park was evacuated a few minutes after the shooting, about an hour earlier than its scheduled 8:00 p.m. closing time.[54] Park officials modified security after the incident, including adding metal detectors at the park's entrance.[55]

Other incidents involving employees

• On September 1, 2017, a 19-year-old male worker was struck by a lift truck as he was stringing lights near a park fountain. He was taken to the hospital and later died from his injuries.[56]

Haunted Castle

• On May 11, 1984, eight teenage visitors were trapped in the Haunted Castle attraction, and died when it was destroyed by fire. Six Flags Great Adventure and its parent company Six Flags were subsequently indicted for aggravated manslaughter, accused of recklessly causing the deaths by taking inadequate precautions against a fire. In the subsequent trial, the prosecution argued that repeated warnings by safety consultants to install sprinklers or smoke alarms had been ignored. The defendants denied any culpability, and contended that the fire was arson and that no precautions would have saved lives. The trial jury found the defendants not guilty.[57] A light bulb had burned out in one of the rooms of the attraction, and a 14-year-old boy lit a cigarette lighter to find his way through the darkness. The flame ignited some foam rubber padding which was used to protect people from bumping into a wall. A fire resulted, which quickly spread throughout the 17-trailer structure with the help of extremely flammable building materials. The fire eventually engulfed and totally destroyed the attraction.[58]

Hurricane Harbor

• In August 2015, a woman broke her ankle while riding the King Cobra water slide with a friend using a double tube, which was prohibited from riding. They both exceeded the 200-pound weight limit and slammed into the snake's mouth. She sued the park for $3 million for negligence in 2016. The water slide was closed in 2017, later being dismantled in 2018 and never re-opened afterwards.[59]

Sarajevo Bobsled

• On July 22, 1987, a park employee suffered injuries to one of his legs when he apparently started the ride after a passenger was already on board.[60]

The Joker

• In June 2016, a Philadelphia man received multiple injuries to his foot and knee while riding, when his leg struck a bar attached to the coaster. The victim sued the park for negligence in May 2018.[61]
• On November 15, 2018, a girl's mother from Camden, New York filed another lawsuit regarding the same ride at the park. She claimed that her daughter, who was on a class trip to the park, was waiting in line to ride the coaster when a wayward metal washer weighing 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and measuring 10 inches (25 cm) fell from the ride, injuring her left shoulder.[62]

Kingda Ka

• On June 8, 2005, a bolt failed inside a trough that the launch cable travels through. This caused the liner to come loose, creating friction on the cable and preventing the train from accelerating to the correct speed. The rubbing of the cable against the inside of the metal trough caused sparks and shards of metal to fly out from the bottom of the train. The ride was closed for almost two months following the incident, but later reopened on August 4.[63]
• On July 26, 2012, a 12-year-old boy from Howell Township, New Jersey was struck in the face by a bird while riding the roller coaster. He was taken to a nearby hospital and suffered minor injuries.[64]
• In May 2018, when a man exited the attraction, he suffered serious injuries after stepping on a piece of bamboo which went through his shoe, penetrating through the sole of his right foot. Before he could ride, he was told by someone that no loose articles or objects can be brought into the attraction and a park employee told him he could leave his cellphone under some foliage in a nearby bamboo grove during the time of his ride. A lawsuit was then filed for his injuries he sustained.[65]
• On August 28, 2018, a 43-year-old woman from Marlboro Township, New Jersey claimed that her left shoulder strap became unlatched during the ride. The ride was temporarily out of service the next day before the harness was eventually repaired and put back in place.[66]
• On May 29, 2019, a man who was apparently a doctor from Red Bank, New Jersey filed a lawsuit against the park and claimed that he became injured after riding the roller coaster with his son back in 2017. He suffered a spinal cord injury.[67]

Lightnin' Loops

• On June 17, 1987, a 19-year-old woman was killed after falling from the Lightnin' Loops shuttle loop roller coaster.[68] An investigation by the State Labor Department concluded that the ride itself was operating properly, but that the ride operator started the ride without checking that all of the passengers were securely fastened by the safety harnesses. The Department's Office of Safety Compliance further concluded that the accident would not have occurred if proper procedures had been followed. The park was found to be in violation of the Carnival/Amusement Ride Safety Act and was subsequently charged with the maximum state fine of $1,000.

Rolling Thunder

• On August 16, 1981, a 20-year-old park employee from Middletown Township, New Jersey fell to his death from the Rolling Thunder roller coaster during a routine test run. An investigation by the New Jersey Labor Department concluded that the man may not have secured himself with the safety bar. A park representative later confirmed this conclusion, saying that the employee "may have assumed an unauthorized riding position that did not make use of safety restraints." The ride was inspected, and the Labor Department concluded that the ride was "operationally and mechanically sound."[69]
• On August 29, 1981, a 19-year-old woman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was found to have been slumped over in her seat when the train returned to the station. She was taken to Freehold Area Hospital where she was pronounced dead after arrival. An autopsy revealed that she choked to death from suffering aspiration of gastric contents during the time when riding the coaster.[70]
• On August 6, 1990, a 19-year-old man from New Providence, New Jersey suffered severe injuries and remained in critical condition at CentraState Medical Center after falling 50 feet (15 m) from the ride. Police and park officials claimed that he and another person that were both on board the train they were sitting in tried to stand up when it curved around part of its track. The ride remained closed until being fully inspected by state officials to make sure that it was up and running again as usual.[71]

Runaway Train Ride

• On August 28, 1977, a train collided into another one that was at the station, suffering injuries to 14 people while on the ride. Of all the people that were hurt in the accident, one had to be hospitalized. When the ride finally reopened after already being checked for inspection beforehand, only one of the coaster's trains was running.[72]

Skyride

• On August 16, 1977, a 24-year-old mechanic was killed while trying to repair the ride after being caught in the ride's drive wheel when one of the cars suddenly began to move.[73]

Six Flags Great America

From 2004 to September 2007, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspected Six Flags parks five different times and found a total of four violations. On September 10, 2007, OSHA cited Great America with 38 safety violations, alleging "multiple serious and repeat violations at the amusement park, ranging from defective emergency brakes on an industrial truck to a lack of labeling procedures for preventing inadvertent machine start-ups." OSHA fined the park US$117,700.[74]

American Eagle

• On September 9, 1984, three guests were hospitalized after two trains collided in the station.[75]
• On September 7, 1997, four guests were slightly injured after the second and third cars on the blue train separated and collided into the brake run.[76]
• On May 22, 2002, an 11-year-old girl from Glenview, Illinois suffered traumatic brain hemorrhage after riding on the coaster. She was taken to Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview late that night, then transferred to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois where she underwent brain surgery. She was then in a coma for about four days, and stayed in the hospital for two weeks.[77]

Cajun Cliffhanger

• On July 19, 2000, a 12-year-old girl from McHenry, Illinois suffered two crushed toes after the floor of the ride was improperly raised prior to the ride coming to a complete stop. A second guest also had her foot trapped in this accident. The ride was permanently shut down as part of an out-of-court settlement. In the ten years prior to this accident, there were thirteen other reported incidents involving the Cajun Cliffhanger ride, at least six of which involved injuries.[78]

Demon

• On July 13, 1993, a switch malfunction occurred on the ride, suffering injuries to eight people when a train collided at slow speed with another one at the station. All of them were treated at local hospitals. After the incident, the ride remained closed the next day following an investigation from the park staff and the fire department and re-opened a day later.[79]
• On April 18, 1998, 23 riders on the Demon roller coaster were stranded upside down in the middle of the ride's second vertical loop. Firefighters used an aerial fire apparatus to bring riders to safety, although some were on the ride for as long as three hours. The incident was the result of a mechanical failure.[80]

The Edge

• On May 22, 1984, three teenage boys were seriously injured when the ride vehicle fell back down the lift shaft.[81]

Hurricane Harbor

• On June 29, 2005, a 68-year-old guest from the South Maplewood section of Chicago, Illinois, had a heart attack and died in the wave pool.[82]
• On June 2, 2017, a woman filed a lawsuit to the park saying that she was injured while riding the Wahoo Racer waterslide back in July 2011. She suffered cuts and torn ligaments to her wrist and hands after riding and was taken to a nearby hospital to have surgery on her left hand. A court upheld $1.5 million for the case.[83]

Other incidents involving guests

• On September 23, 2017, at around 9pm during the park's annual Fright Fest event, a family from Batavia, Illinois was hospitalized and also suffered non-threating injuries when they were attacked by several teenagers. All 9 of them were arrested by the police during the scene at the time when the riot took place.[84]

Pizza Orleans

• On January 22, 1999, the entire Pizza Orleans fast food restaurant was destroyed by a fire. The flames threatened the adjacent Bugs Bunny Theater, but firefighters were able to prevent it from spreading. The restaurant was declared a total loss and damages were estimated at $125,000.[85]

Ragin' Cajun

• On May 29, 2004, Jack E Brouse, a 52-year-old ride mechanic from Zion, Illinois, was killed by a roller-coaster car as he attempted to cross the tracks. Suffering from a traumatic head injury, he died at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.[86]

Raging Bull

• On May 3, 2003, 11-year-old Erica Emmons from Gary, Indiana, collapsed after riding the Raging Bull coaster while on a trip with her sisters, cousins and aunt. She died after being taken to the hospital. While initial reports said that she died from choking on chewing gum she had been chewing while on the ride, the coroner's report later stated that she died due to cardiomegaly, and had been seeing a cardiologist for treatment.[87]

Sprocket Rockets

• On August 16, 2006, a 10-year-old girl from Arlington Heights, Illinois, collapsed and died after riding the Spacely's Sprocket Rockets roller coaster in the Camp Cartoon Network area. An autopsy showed that she died of a congenital heart anomaly. Her family said that she had a history of the anomaly.[88]

Superman: Ultimate Flight

• On September 9, 2017, 50-year-old Scott Barnes from Andersonville, Indiana died after riding the flying roller coaster. Exiting the attraction, the man complained of feeling sick, then collapsed on the ramp. He was taken to nearby Advocate Condell Medical Center, where he later died from what was termed a "natural death".[89]

Viper

• On June 25, 1997, a 14-year-old Waukegan boy injured his arm while dangling it outside the car. His limb got caught between the car and the platform as the ride reentered the station and slowed to a stop.[90]

Whizzer

• During a 1980 investigation of an accident at the Great America park in California of their Willard's Whizzer coaster, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission discovered two incidents at the Illinois park that had not been previously reported: on July 24, 1976, 13 guests were injured; and on August 18, 1976, 18 guests were injured. The CPSC report does not list injury or accident details for either incident.[91]

Hurricane Harbor SplashTown

• On April 12, 2019, a worker fell to his death from a structure. Authorities ruled it as an accident.[92]

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord

• On June 2, 1997, the Banzai Pipeline suffered a catastrophic failure after a section of the slide collapsed under the weight of a group of over 30 students who had congregated in a section of the slide, resulting in the students falling from the destroyed section. 32 people were injured, and one of the students died.[93]

Guest altercations

• On July 13, 2019, a man from Stockton, California suffered severe injuries after being shot outside of the water park's parking lot when he got into an argument with a 28-year-old man from Oakland, California. The man, along with his wife, were both celebrating their daughter's birthday at the time. The argument occurred when the 28-year-old man parked next to them and accidentally hit their car. The man's wife claimed that the person grabbed a gun from his glove compartment and pointed it through the open car window where he shot him in his stomach and also on one of his legs. He was taken to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek and is still recovering from his injuries. The person who shot him was arrested by the Concord Police Department and was taken to Santa Rita Jail.[94]

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Rockford

Splash Blaster

• In July 2014, a dozen lawsuits were filed against the park and the Rockford Park District after many guests complained of suffering spinal and back injuries while on the ride. All of the lawsuits were settled for $2.53 million. The ride was removed in September 2015 following these incidents.[95]

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

Six Flags Magic Mountain

• On April 18, 1993, 40 people were treated for minor injuries and 16 of them were taken to two different hospitals after a massive brawl occurred inside of the park against several youths who went on a rampage. No one was arrested by the police during the scene, but the park had to close earlier than expected.[96]
• In 2006, there were 109 complaints by Magic Mountain guests due to various incidents, according to an annual report from the Amusement Safety Organization. Reports ranged from nosebleeds and heat exhaustion, to neck and back injuries from various rides. Included in those 109 complaints were 18 reports of people blacking out on the Goliath roller coaster. Other complaints were safety-related, such as notices of ride operators talking on cell phones while operating rides. The report stated that the state of California received notice of 80 injuries at Magic Mountain between January 2001 and December 2006.[97]
• On June 9, 2019, at around noon, guests had to evacuate after the park was forced to close early due to a brush fire and heavy smoke surrounding around the main area and its water park. Firefighters were also called into the park at the time when it occurred. No damage was reported, and the park re-opened the following day.[98]

Batman: The Ride

• On May 2, 1999, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed in the ride's queue by a 33-year-old man from Duarte, California and his 23-year-old girlfriend. The incident occurred at 7:30 pm when he cut into the line to meet up with his friends. He was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Medical Center where he was listed in serious condition. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff, "He was cut from the neck to the sternum, twice in the back and on his arms. The cuts were deep enough to expose bones and muscles." The couple who stabbed him were taken into custody at the Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station on suspicion of attempted murder with the bail being set at $500,000.[99]

Colossus

• In 1978, 20-year-old Carol Flores died after falling out of the ride.[100] The lap bar was locked in place but it proved to be ineffective, due to the woman's obesity.[101] This incident prompted Colossus to be closed for a year while the trains were switched out and other adjustments were made. One of the old cars has been sent to the Sky Tower.[102]
• On June 6, 1993, seven people suffered injuries when one of the trains rear-ended another.[103]
• On September 8, 2014, a fire broke out atop Colossus's lift hill. The ride had already been closed for conversion into Twisted Colossus, and no injuries or deaths were reported. The fire was caused by welders working on removing track. The fire was an accident, and no one was taken to court.[104]

Eagle's Flight

• On February 5, 1978, a gondola car on Eagle's Flight traveling the Galaxy course fell 50 feet (15 m) to the ground. A pair of newlyweds were violently rocking the car back and forth, causing it to detach from the cable. The husband was killed, and his wife suffered serious injuries, including losing her legs.[105][106]

Goliath

• On June 2, 2001, 28-year-old Pearl Santos died of a brain aneurysm while riding Goliath. Her family sued the park, claiming that managers were aware of other complaints from Goliath riders and continued to operate the coaster anyway.[107]

Hurricane Harbor

• On September 30, 2012, a 19-year-old man fell from the Venom Drop water slide. According to a spokesperson for the water park, the man cut in line at the slide, fought through the lifeguards, and jumped onto the slide head-first. The man tumbled onto the slide and slipped over the edge, falling 60 feet (18 m) onto a fence below the slide tower. The local sheriff's office reported that the man was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.[108]

Ninja

• On August 30, 2008, 20-year-old Carlos Ibanez was hospitalized after being hit by the train and knocked unconscious when he allegedly climbed multiple security fences to retrieve a hat. Airlifted to the UCLA Medical Center, he was pronounced dead at 2 a.m. on the following day, due to blunt force trauma.[109]
• On July 7, 2014, 22 guests were stranded for over two hours after a tree branch fell onto the coaster track. Four of the 22 guests were injured, but none serious enough to require a hospital visit.[110]

Revolution

• On July 18, 1978, the braking system on the coaster malfunctioned which caused the train to go 3 feet (0.91 m) backwards on the ride's lift hill when it was up the 75 feet (23 m) incline of its midpoint. Of the 22 people that were on board the ride, 10 of them suffered injuries and were taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital for treatment. The ride had already been inspected earlier that morning with no problems during its test runs.[111]
• On May 30, 1996, 25-year-old park attendant Cherie La Motte of Valencia, California was killed while crossing the tracks in the roller coaster's station. She slipped and fell into a shallow pit beneath the tracks and was struck by a train that was pulling into the station.[112][113]
• On June 13, 2015, 10-year-old Jasmine Martinez was found unconscious but breathing after returning to the roller coaster's station. She died the following day at nearby Northridge Hospital. A coroner's report said the girl died from natural causes.[114]

Scream

• On April 9, 2004, 21-year-old Bantita Rackchamroon died after being struck by the roller coaster while underneath the track during a test run prior to the park's opening that day. The roller coaster was allowed to be re-opened the next week after an OSHA inspection found no mechanical issues.[115]

Tidal Wave

• On May 20, 1990, a malfunction occurred on the ride which caused one of the ride's boats to become stuck on the top of the lift hill, which also resulted in seven people suffering injuries when two boats collided into each other after its splashdown.[116]

Six Flags Mexico

• On June 8, 2014, around 10 a.m., a fire broke out in a warehouse of stuffed animals. Injured men and women were evacuated, leaving a 500-meter area affected. It has been established that the cause of the fire was due to a short circuit. At the time of the fire, the park was closed.

Six Flags New England

Blizzard River

• On August 7, 1999, a raft carrying six people flipped, trapping some riders under water. All six riders were injured.[117]

Cyclone

• On July 8, 1983, a 19-year-old rider was ejected from the roller coaster during the course of the ride after his seatbelt unfastened. A mechanical inspection was performed and no problems were found with the ride; it reopened the following day. The rider suffered a fractured pelvis.
• On September 3, 1983, a train filled with riders collided into the back of another train which was leaving the station. Five passengers were injured and were treated at local hospitals. No mechanical problems were found and operator error was ruled the cause.

Houdini's Great Escape

• On October 9, 2010, Houdini's Great Escape (which was being used as a haunted house called Midnight Mansion), which was available during Fright Fest, suspiciously caught on fire. Firefighters were called to extinguish the flames, but the ride was closed for the rest of the night and the following day. Investigations showed that a flammable cobweb hanging on the top of the building was the cause of the fire after coming in close contact with a light fixture. Nearly 20 feet (6 m) of cobweb burned up, and the building only suffered minor damages to the roof and exterior. No one was injured, but damages were estimated at $5,000.[118]

Other incidents involving guests

• On June 2, 2017, a group of people who were on a class trip visiting the amusement park suffered injuries when the tram they were riding hydroplaned in the parking lot after a rainstorm, resulting in guests being tossed around. Two students were reported to have concussions according to the school's superintendent. Five of them were taken to the hospital for evaluation. A park manager claimed that the incident occurred during the time wet road conditions passed through the amusement park's area.[119]

Superman: The Ride

• On August 6, 2001, one of the trains failed to stop at the ride's brake run, colliding with the other train in the loading station. 22 people were taken to hospitals, without any major injuries. The ride reopened twelve days later on August 18, 2001.[120]
• On May 1, 2004, 55-year-old Stanley Mordarsky from Bloomfield, Connecticut fell out of his coaster seat during the last turn and was killed. Reports show that the ride attendant had not checked that the guest's ride restraint was secure[121] as his girth was too large for the T-bar-shaped ride restraint to close properly. The victim's family said that due to his various medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, he shouldn't have been allowed to ride. The park stated that the federal Americans with Disabilities Act forbids them from denying a ride to a person with a disability as long as the person can get on the ride by themselves.[122]

Thunderbolt

• On June 25, 1995, the red train failed to stop in the station and collided with the blue train which had already started to climb the lift. According to the Hartford Courant, nine people were treated and released at area hospitals. Human error was cited as the cause of the accident; this marked the last time that two trains operated on the coaster.

Twisted Train

• On August 2, 2000, a 12-year-old boy from Amherst, New York appeared to have trouble breathing after exiting the ride. He was pronounced dead after being taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts shortly before 8pm. The incident was not related to the ride itself but the child did suffer a pre-existing medical condition at the time while he was on the coaster.[123]

Six Flags New Orleans

Joker's Jukebox

• On July 10, 2003, a 52-year-old grandmother was strapping her 4-year-old grandson in when the ride started up. She later died at Lakeland Hospital from blunt-force internal injuries after being struck by a ride vehicle.[124] The park added mirrors to the ride for ride operators to view around the blind spot where the accident occurred, and then introduced a safety announcement which notified the guests that the ride was about to start.

Six Flags Over Georgia

Batman: The Ride

• On May 26, 2002, a 58-year-old Six Flags foreman was struck in the head and killed by the dangling legs of a passenger after he wandered into the ride's path after entering a locked, no-access area during the ride's operation. The passenger, a 14-year-old girl, was hospitalized with leg injuries and released.[125]
• On June 28, 2008, a 17-year-old male from Springfield, South Carolina was decapitated by the passing train after he climbed over two six-foot fences and entered a restricted area. Reports said that the victim was trying to retrieve his lost hat.[126] Additional eyewitnesses stated that the victim and a companion, who also entered the restricted area but was uninjured, were trying to take a shortcut back into the park after leaving the park for lunch.[127]

Georgia Cyclone

• On August 29, 1990, a 31-year-old woman from Duluth, Georgia fractured her neck after riding the coaster. She was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center by ambulance where she was reported to be in stable condition. Park officials temporarily shut down the ride for 45 minutes for inspection.[128]

Goliath

• On July 27, 2006, a 45-year-old male from Birmingham, Alabama, died of a heart attack after riding Goliath. He was alert during the ride but was unconscious when the train arrived at the loading platform. An autopsy showed that the man had a congenital heart condition, and it was expected that the medical examiner would announce that he died of natural causes.[129] Goliath was closed for two hours for an inspection, but was found to be operating normally.

Great Air Racer

• On May 27, 1984, four passengers were injured after a computer malfunction caused the ride's cables to drop the planes out of position.[130]

Log Jamboree

• On August 7, 1984, a 17-year-old park worker was pulled from the water after falling 25 feet (7.6 m) from the attraction. The victim was taken to Parkway Regional Hospital after being in stable condition, suffering a mild concussion and lacerations.[131]

Six Flags Railroad

• On May 13, 2018, the train engine caught fire. Two employees were taken to the hospital, and while no park guests were on the ride at the time of the accident, one park guest was treated at the park's medical center and released.[132]
• On September 7, 2019, the ride remained closed for inspection after the train engine partially derailed from its track and tipped over. Although none of the passengers on board were injured in the accident, they were evacuated off the cars.[133]

The Riddler Mindbender

• On April 22, 1978, a 12-year-old boy injured his right arm when it was caught between one of the cars he was sitting in and loading platform. His father filed a $1 million lawsuit to the park in response to his injuries he sustained during the accident.[134]
• On June 3, 1984, a mechanical problem caused a train to stop abruptly, causing four people to be hospitalized. The ride was repaired and put back into service with no more problems.[130]

Wheelie

• In May 2009, four children became ill when the attraction failed to stop at the end of its cycle. After returning to a horizontal position, a limit switch failed and the ride continued to spin for five to ten minutes. The park's first-aid staff treated the children, while one was transported to an area hospital by his parents; the child was not admitted, however. An investigation determined that the ride operator did not engage an emergency stop switch due to a miscommunication between her and her supervisor; the park's ride operators are trained in how to stop their rides in the event of a malfunction. Since then, additional safety features have been added to ensure that the attraction automatically stops within 15 seconds if the limit switch were to fail.[135]

Z-Force

• On July 18, 1989, an 11-year-old boy from Talladega, Alabama, became unconscious while riding Z-Force. Park staff performed CPR, but the victim was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.[136] An autopsy failed to pinpoint the cause of death.[137]

Six Flags Over Texas

Big Bend

• On July 1, 1972, five people suffered injuries after two cars collided. Out of the five people that were on the ride, two of theirs were serious. All of them were taken to Memorial Hospital including one person who had to undergo surgery and another to an intensive care ward.[138]

Butterfield Stagecoach

• On May 27, 1967, a 4-year-old girl from Haltom City, Texas was seriously injured when she was pinned by one of the coaches as the right wheel collapsed when it overturned. She was taken to Harris Hospital and had surgery done on both her feet. Ten more people that were on board the ride also suffered injuries in the accident but they were all released from Arlington Memorial Hospital after receiving emergency treatment.[139]

El Sombrero

• On August 8, 1968, ride operator John Raymond Nelson approached the ride before it stopped so he could quickly unload the passengers. Nelson lost his balance and fell into the pit beneath the ride. An ambulance later arrived and carried him to Arlington Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.[140]

The Gunslinger

• On March 12, 2006, ten people suffered minor injuries when the Gunslinger, a Chance Rides Manufacturing "Yo-Yo" attraction, was brought to an abrupt stop and several swing seats collided with each other. Five people were sent to the hospital after complaints of back pain; the others were treated at the on-site first aid station.[141] In October 2008, Chance recalled 85 Yo-Yo rides to repair defects that were found in this accident and one other.[142]

Hurricane Harbor

• On September 5, 2011, a 64-year-old woman from Allen, Texas was found unresponsive the park's lazy river. She was pulled from the water and taken to Arlington Memorial Hospital's ICU but died due to drowning.[143]
• On August 9, 2012, six lifeguards suffered minor injuries on the Tornado water slide during a training session. Park officials say it was the result of 'inappropriate horseplay'.[144]

La Vibora

• On May 31, 1995, a 16-year-old park employee suffered injuries after falling from the tracks and was run over by an incoming train.[145]

New Texas Giant

• On July 19, 2013, a 52-year-old woman from Dallas, Texas, fell 75 feet (23 m) to her death while riding the New Texas Giant roller coaster.[146] According to one eyewitness account, the victim – described as overweight – was concerned about being properly secured after boarding the ride. She heard other restraints click three times but only reported hearing hers click once. A ride attendant assured her that as long as she heard a click, it was secure. Some riders informed investigators that the woman was thrown from the roller coaster as it rounded a turn, and one rider tweeted that he saw the restraint come undone. Other eyewitnesses believed the seat restraint remained locked in the lowered position when the train returned to the station. The ride closed for two months during the investigation.[147][148][149] The victim was found on top of the metal roof of one of the coaster tunnels, near the Music Mill Amphitheater.[146] Due to its similarity to Texas Giant, Iron Rattler was closed temporarily by Six Flags Fiesta Texas following the incident.[146][150][151] It reopened almost a month later with added seat belts.[152][153] Representatives from Gerstlauer, the German company that designed and built the ride's trains, participated in the investigation.[154] While Gerstlauer would not discuss any specifics, they released a statement saying their restraint system could not open while the ride was in motion.[154] The investigation was completed on September 10, 2013, and Texas Giant reopened on September 14, 2013. Each train's restraint system was modified, seat belts were added, and a seat replica was placed at the entrance allowing riders to test before waiting in line.[155][156] The woman's family filed lawsuits against both the park and manufacturer, both of which blamed and sued each other for the accident.[157][158] On November 18, 2014, attorneys for the victim's family announced that they had reached an undisclosed settlement with both Six Flags and Gerstlauer, with a spokesperson saying the family "is very pleased with the settlement and appreciates the condolences offered by Six Flags and Gerstlauer".[159]

Roaring Rapids

• On March 21, 1999, 28-year-old Valeria Cartwright of West Helena, Arkansas was killed and ten other guests were injured, when the raft they were on overturned in 2-3 feet of water due to sudden deflation of the air chambers that support the raft. The raft then became caught on an underwater pipe, which provided leverage for the rushing water in the ride to flip the boat over.[160] In a subsequent settlement, Six Flags agreed to pay US$4 million to the victim's family, and the company said it would join the family in a lawsuit against Canyon Manufacturing Co., the company responsible for parts that were related to the accident.[161]

Runaway Mine Train

• On August 9, 1973, ten people suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital after two cars collided into each other.[162]

Six Flags St. Louis

Boomerang

• On May 6, 2016, the Boomerang came to an abrupt halt. The park was closed at the time, but groups of high school students were at the park on field trips. Four students suffered minor injuries, but were able to get off the ride. Three of the students were taken to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure, though no one was seriously injured.[163]

River King Mine Train / Rail Blazer

• On July 7, 1984, a 46-year-old woman from Indianapolis, Indiana was riding the Rail Blazer roller coaster when she was flung from the ride and fell 20 feet (6.1 m) to her death. Park officials claimed that the woman fainted and fell out of the car, but her husband, who had been beside her, said that she had not fainted but had simply been tossed from the ride when it whipped around a curve. At the time, the ride was only the third stand-up roller coaster in the world, but following this incident it was converted back to a sit-down coaster.[164]

Screamin' Eagle

• On September 19, 1976, 19 people suffered minor injuries after a coaster train collided into the other that was parked at the station. 16 of them were treated at the park's first aid medical center while three were taken to the hospital for further examination.[165]

Skyway

• On July 26, 1978, a man and two of his three nieces who were riding with him died when their gondola fell from the cable.[166] The ride was quickly shut down, leaving nearly 100 people stranded in the 27 remaining cars, some of which had stopped at heights of up to 200 feet (61 m). Firefighters were called to the park to rescue the occupants of those cars. A park spokesman claimed that the car simply "dropped off" its cable.[58]

Typhoon Twister

• On June 24, 2018, there were two separate incidents on the attraction - one involving a 27-year-old man from St. Louis,[167] and the other a woman from Lebanon, Missouri.[168] In both cases, the guests fell out of rafts while riding, and were taken to the hospital due to undisclosed injuries. Park management closed the ride for inspection following the pair of incidents, per standard procedure.

Other incidents involving guests

• On June 13, 2018, a 23-year-old man from Caseyville, Illinois hit and pushed an employee dressed as Daffy Duck. He was soon arrested and charged with assault.[169]

Six Flags White Water

Hurricane Harbor

• On March 6, 2016, two individuals broke into the park, went past three fences, and skateboarded down the Tornado water slide as a half pipe. They were arrested on felony charges of criminal damage to property, causing an estimated $20,000 in damages to the fiberglass coat covering the slide.[170]

Maintenance building

• On July 11, 2010, a fire broke out in a maintenance building during operating hours, forcing the evacuation and closure of the park. The fire was contained to a single building, located adjacent to the park's wave pool and used principally for storage. Spokespeople for the water park and for the Cobb County fire department noted that everyone was evacuated safely and that there were no reported injuries. The park re-opened two days later on July 13 after crews had sealed off the damaged area caused by the fire.[171]

Six Flags Worlds of Adventure

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