Two students were reported to have concussions according to the school's superintendent. On May 22, 1984, three teenage boys were seriously injured when the ride vehicle fell back down the lift shaft. Request More Information Select Days May 1 - June 11 2023 Math & Science Days Take your classroom to new heights! A supporting cable snapped, and the mechanism's anti-rollback devices failed to stop the car from plummeting nearly 60 feet to the bottom of the tower. "El Toro will not reopen until the DCA is provided with a report by the ride manufacturer indicating what caused the derailment as well as how to mitigate the issue,", According to a DCA incident report, the rear wheels of one car "came out from their normal position in the rails. Discover Our Events & Festivals Spring Break Scream Break Grad Nite July Fireworks Oktoberfest Fright Fest Kids Boo Fest Veterans Weekend Holiday in the Park The attraction re-opened the next day after park officials fully inspected the ride to make sure that it was running safely. She was treated by the park medical staff before being taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. On September 26, 2014, a 15-year-old boy from. "Additionally, we have an outstanding maintenance team, and our maintenance and safety experts complete extensive safety checks before opening the rides each day. The local sheriff's office reported that the man was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. In 2019, Six Flags faced a lawsuit that went to the, On September 23, 2017, at around 9pm during the park's annual Fright Fest event, a family from. Sign up for our newsletter to get the inside scoop on what traders are talking about delivered daily to your inbox. No injuries were reported. After two incidents raised red flags at Six Flags Great Adventure last month, a pair of roller coasters at the popular thrill park were temporarily shut down this week following separate. Police were still investigating full circumstances of the incident and several victims have filed numerous reports during the time when it took place. Investigations showed that a. Bill Powers of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions says. On March 12, 2006, ten people suffered minor injuries when the Gunslinger, a, On September 5, 2011, a 64-year-old woman from. On July 10, 2021, a person suffered minor injuries after getting their foot lodged between the coaster's cars and the station platform. 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Those injured complained of increased roughness at the bottom of the third drop - the ride completed its cycle and was closed for inspection. A lawsuit was then filed for the injuries he sustained. Six Flags acquired the amusement park in 1984 after the theme park division was an earnings disappointment for Marriott. On August 9, 1973, ten people suffered minor injuries when two cars from a coaster train derailed as it was running through a tunnel. Park officials said that they believe the girl fell because she was standing up while the ride was moving. On June 28, 2000, eight people were trapped when their raft overturned during the ride. The rules required riders to have both legs safely secure when boarding the train. The rider suffered a fractured pelvis. 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. Other complaints were safety-related, such as notices of ride operators talking on cell phones while operating rides. The girl was scarred by the phone and her family pushed Six Flags to be more strict on loose articles aboard their attractions. Several passengers were treated by first aid staff and the ride closed for inspection and evaluation. The ride had already been inspected earlier that morning with no mechanical problems during its test runs. All of the lawsuits were settled for $2.53 million. On September 5, 1982, a blown fuse caused one of the coaster trains to stop abruptly when it was 126 feet (38m) on the lift hill. The log flume re-opened to the public on July 9, Fitzgerald said. More than 290 million people visited a theme park in the US in 2010, enjoying 1.7 billion rides. On September 18, 1976, 19 people suffered minor injuries after a coaster train collided into the other that was parked at the station. The. Investigators ruled that a guide wheel running along the inside of the track separated from the axle of the last car, triggering a safety mechanism that kept the train from derailing. On May 22, 1984, an accident occurred on The Edge, a first generation Freefall ride at Marriott's Great America (now Six Flags Great America) in Gurnee, Illinois. 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 becoming injured at the scene. El Toro was shut down for two weeks after inspectors found a defective ground fault circuit interrupter nearthe roller coaster's 181-foot lift hill, according to the inspection records, obtained throughan Open Public Records Act request. On June 20, 2021, one of the rides supports began to shake, causing an emergency stop of the ride. He was taken to the hospital and later died from his injuries. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor is a world-class theme park and water park located between Chicago and Milwaukee on I-94 in Gurnee, Illinois. In May, the park announced it was hiring 4,000 workers for the 2021 season. An autopsy revealed that her death was caused by a pre-existing heart condition. (For a closer look at the yesteryear of amusement rides in New Jersey, tune into HBO Max's "Class Action Park," whichnoted how, as a reviewer wrote, "Broken bones, otherinjuries and deaths throughout the parkput stress on the local ambulance corps, generated further scrutiny and triggered violations that led to Action Parks closure in 1995."). When the ride was temporarily shut down, employees fully inspected it and a park spokesperson claimed that it was found to be operating normally. Six Flags only accepts card payments. On April 13, 2017, at a little before 6 p.m. EST, the ride stalled along the same length as the 2014 incident. She was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. A visitor reported the malfunction of a lap bar meant to keep a rider from tumbling off a ride on Nitro on July 11, another roller coaster at the park. ", Read all about it: Book recounts history of Action Park, 'America's most dangerous amusement park'. On June 29, 2021, a train partially derailed when the rear car's up-stop wheels, which are designed to prevent the train from lifting off the track, moved out of place and up onto the track. 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. May 13, 2021. On August 25, 1999, 28 passengers were stranded on the. Also in June2021:New Jersey shuts down El Toro roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure after derailment. On July 11, 2021, the roller coaster was temporarily shut down for inspection after a guest reported that a safety bar unfastened on one of the trains. Before he could ride, he was told by someone that no loose articles or objects could 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. Park officials said that they believe she fell because she was standing up while the ride was moving. On September 10, 2016, at 1:30p.m., an unspecified phone threat caused an evacuation of the park, though a security sweep did not detect any suspicious activity. The people who were involved in the fight were treated by paramedics, including one victim who sustained a significant laceration and required stitches. Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman called it a "shocking and horrible tragedy . On August 25, 2022, 13 riders reported back pain and other minor injuries after riding the coaster. Seven people went to the hospital and at least two sued after developing neck and back problems. On September 30, 2017, several guests on the Silver Bullet suffered injuries as the ride came to a stop. The man was reportedly rocking the car before it fell. On June 21, 2019, two riders were injured as a falling tree branch toppled on top of them while on the coaster. For any media inquiries, please contact our Public Relations office at sfgrpr@sixflags.com or 847-249-1776 x1540. Lisa Ryan, a DCA spokeswoman, described the issue as a derailment, with the wheels coming up on top of the rail. A teenage girl's legs were severed above the ankle while on a thrill ride. He had that, but he also stumbled . The incident report notes that the train's rear wheel assembly and wood and steel bolts on the track were damaged. The fire was contained to a single building, located adjacent to the park's wave pool and used principally for storage. "It's the same old script: 'Safety is our first priority.' Injured men and women were evacuated, leaving a 500-meter area affected. On May 2, 1999, one of the trains stalled between the second and third hills. Credit: Six Flags Great America When visiting a theme park, the last thing to go through Guests' minds is the chance of seeing themselves involved in an accident. The following article is a summary of notable incidents at the amusement parks and water parks that are operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. One of 2021's new attractions has closed temporarily following a disturbing vibration incident. Firefighters were also called into the park at the time when it occurred. The ride was removed in September 2015 following these incidents. 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 ride was shut down because of this. They led to three hospital visits for park guests. The most serious violation were discovered in November and December 2019, when state inspectors shut the ride down due to "major rust and corrosion" and ordered "much-needed repairs on the ride," including the replacement of 16 sections of steel and additional areas of plywood, inspection records show. Several minutes later, swimmers at the pool discovered the boy, underwater and unconscious, prompting them to notify the lifeguards, who pulled him out and performed CPR. On July 10, 2003, a 52-year-old grandmother was strapping her 4-year-old grandson in when the ride started up. 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. A newlywed couple were violently rocking the car back and forth, causing it to detach from the cable. Its wholly French lineup of Esteban Ocon (L) and Pierre Gasly (R) is a much anticipated pairing for 2023 and is . On September 6, 2021, a guest was taken to the hospital complaining of back and neck pain after riding the Tornado waterslide. The recent incidents occurred on four of the park's most popular rides: "Here in New Jersey, our rides are professionally inspected annually by internal and external experts as required by all New Jersey laws and regulations," spokeswoman Kristin Fitzgerald said in a statement Thursday. Six Flags Great America is a 304-acre (123 ha) amusement park located in Gurnee, Illinois, within the northern Chicago metropolitan area.The amusement park originally opened as Marriott's Great America on May 29, 1976, as one of two theme parks built by the Marriott Corporation. On May 22, 2002, an 11-year-old girl from. 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. It took three hours to rescue the uninjured students. The girl died, possibly unrelated to this incident, at Egleston Children's Hospital on July 18, 2014 after she had difficulty breathing for nearly two months. One car was taken out of service with a damaged anti-rollback plate afterward, according to DCA. Story:After not being strapped into her shoulder harness properly, a girl fell to her death during the loop-the-loop roller-coaster ride. The ride was previously red-tagged in April 2015 after inspectors found a ground fault circuit interrupter without a cover. Ride: Mindbender. In some cases, these incidents occurred while the park was under different management or ownership. An 11-year-old boy was killed and his brother was left in a medically induced coma after their raft overturned on a rapids ride in Iowa on July 4. Eyewitnesses reported that the boat was returning from a tour when it began to list to one side. On June 23, 2021, a fight between six and eight people broke out in the parking lot. Six Flags Great Adventure is a household name across the tri-state area, welcoming 3.4 million visitors in 2018, according to a report from the Themed Entertainment Association. On August 7, 1999, eight riders suffered injuries when their raft flipped over, trapping them underneath the water. Passengers were eventually rescued about an hour later as a park worker helped evacuate all of them safely by walking down the catwalk on the side of its tracks. She declined to make anyone from the park available to answer questions about what led to the incidents and what the park was doing to ensure guests' safety. Six Flags America . 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