Scary Times! Five People Hospitalized After Six Flags Roller Coaster Malfunction
Aug. 26 2022, Published 2:17 p.m. ET
Scary times at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, were not planned as several customers were injured on a ride, RadarOnline.com has learned.
On Thursday, witnesses reported hearing a loud bang from the El Toro wooden roller coaster as it was cycling through a ride. Although the coaster completed its cycle and all guests exited the ride without assistance, there were consequential individual reactions.
According to the local Department of Community Affairs, 13 passengers were then treated at the scene, according to ABC30. Out of that group, five were taken to hospital for further evaluation. All of those people have since been treated and released.
The Departments said one person suffered a neck injury, two had back injuries and two more were treated for mouth-tongue injuries. El Toro is one of the tallest wooden roller coasters in the world and can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour.
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"The ride will remain closed for inspection.” Six Flags officials said in a statement said. “Any maintenance and repairs necessary will be completed and the ride will be re-inspected by our engineers, maintenance professionals, our third party independent safety inspectors and the state of New Jersey prior to re-opening.”
Just a week before the incident, Attractions Magazine posted a passenger-view video of the entire El Toro roller coaster ride. It's unclear at what exact point the bang and related “jerking forward” occurred, but the footage provides a vivid look at why people line up to take this ride.
Earlier this summer, the El Toro roller coaster was ranked second by WPG Radio on a list of the state's scariest amusement park rides. “El Toro replaced Viper and opened to the public on June 11, 2006,” the ranking began. “When it opened, it had the steepest drop of any wooden roller coaster in the world at 76 degrees, until the record was broken by another ride called T Express in 2008 by one degree.”