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This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Six Flags-owned theme parks. 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 newsworthy.

The term incidents refers to major accidents, injuries, or deaths that occur at a Six Flags 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 break 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.
4. Act of God or a generic accident (eg slipping and falling), that is not a direct result of an action on anybody's part.

Please see the references for each listed item for specific details.

Six Flags Great America

Cajun Cliffanger

• On July 19, 2000, 12-year-old Kati Konstantaras of McHenry suffered two crushed toes after the floor of the ride was improperly raised prior to the ride coming to complete stop. A second guest, Caroline Bowker, 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.

Camp Cartoon Network

• On August 16, 2006, 10-year-old Jaclyn Silberman from Arlington Heights, Illinois collapsed and died after riding rides in the Camp Cartoon Network area. An autopsy showed that she died of a congenital heart condition. Her family says that she had a history of heart trouble.

The Demon

• In 1998, 23 riders on the Demon roller coaster were stranded upside-down in the middle of a vertical loop. Firefighters used a cherry picker 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.

The Edge

• On May 22, 1984, 3 unnamed teenage boys were seriously injured when the ride vehicle fell back down the lift shaft.

Hurricane Harbor

• On June 29, 2005, 68-year-old Felipe Luna of Chicago, Illinois had a heart attack and died in the wave pool.

Ragin' Cajun

• On May 29, 2004, 52-year-old ride mechanic Jack Brouse of 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 a local hospital.

Raging Bull

• On May 3, 2003, 11-year-old Erica Emmons of Gary, Indiana collapsed after riding the Raging Bull coaster. She died after being taken to the hospital. While initial reports said that she died from choking on taffy she had been eating while on the ride, the coroner's report later stated that she died due to an "enlarged heart" heart condition, and had been seeing a cardiologist for treatment. Ever since, riders are not allowed to eat on the ride.

Six Flags Great Adventure

Rolling Thunder

• On August 16, 1981, 20-year-old park employee Scott Tyler of Middletown fell 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." Rolling Thunder was reopened a day later and still operates at Great Adventure.

Haunted Castle

On May 11, 1984, eight teenagers burned to death in the Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure attraction in Jackson Township, New Jersey. The attraction was made of 17 connected trailers, and had been installed six years earlier to be a temporary attraction. Because the Haunted Castle was not considered to be a permanent structure, it was never inspected by the Jackson Township fire inspector and was not required to have the same level of fire safety equipment as other park structures. While many details about the incident are unknown, testimony during the subsequent trials stated that in a long corridor that was dark because of a malfunctioning strobe light, a 14-year-old boy lit a cigarette lighter in order to see, eventually bumping into and igniting some foam rubber wall padding. The resulting fire spread quickly through the maze-like structure due to the use of various flammable building materials. The entire attraction was destroyed. Fourteen people, including four park employees, escaped. Seven people were treated for smoke inhalation at an area hospital. Firefighters from 11 towns were called to the scene.

Great Adventure and its parent company Six Flags Corporation were charged with aggravated manslaughter. The prosecution contended they were reckless in not taking adequate precautions against fire; and that the disaster occurred due to the combustibility of the building, lack of sufficient emergency exits, and the lack of fire alarms and sprinkler systems. The defense cited a 1983 report by fire inspectors, which concluded that the attraction was safe for operation. Expert witnesses on the defense team stated that the fire might have been started intentionally. The park's owners faced maximum combined fines of $1.2 million. It was reported that they spent $6 million for their defense. The companies were acquitted on all criminal charges by a New Jersey Superior Court jury on July 20, 1985, in Toms River, New Jersey.

The families of those who were killed later sued Great Adventure and Six Flags, charging them with manslaughter and aggravated manslaughter. One suit was reported to have been settled by the payment of $2.5 million to the victim's family.

Lightnin' Loops

• On June 17, 1987, 19-year-old Karen Brown died after falling from the Lightnin' Loops shuttle loop roller coaster. 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 secured by the safety harnesses. The Department's Office of Safety Compliance further concluded that the accident would not have occurred had proper procedures 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 fines of $1,000. The ride was reopened a few months later with the permission of the Labor Department. The ride was eventually removed from Great Adventure.

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

Starchaser

• On July 26, 1994, five unidentified riders were injured when two cars collided in an incident that inspectors said was due to operator error. After the accident, the park filed suit against Louisville, Kentucky television station WHAS-TV for reporting on the accident in a misleading and malicious manner. The station had inaccurately reported that the ride malfunctioned, was dangerous, and that the park had removed a "key component" of the ride. The station lost the lawsuit and was ordered to pay US$3 million to the park.

Superman Tower of Power

• On June 21, 2007, an unidentified 13-year-old girl had both feet severed by a snapped cable, caused by an unidentified ride malfunction. She was taken to the hospital in serious condition.

Vampire

• During its inaugural season in 1990, the "Vampire" roller coaster stopped mid-run and 24 passengers had to climb down from a 12-story structure.

Six Flags Magic Mountain

• There were 109 complaints by Magic Mountain guests due to various incidents, according to the 2006 annual report from the Amusement Safety Organization. Some reports were minor, ranging from nose bleeds 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 same report stated that the state of California received notice of 80 injuries at Magic Mountain between January 2001 - December 2006.

Colossus

• In 1978, 20-year-old Carolina Flores was ejected from the Colossus ride and died.

Revolution

• In 1996, part-time employee Cherie LaMotte was killed while crossing the tracks of the Revolution roller coaster. She was struck by a train full of park visitors as it returned to the station; both passengers and those waiting in line for the ride saw LaMotte fly into an area beneath the coaster, and she was pronounced dead at the scene from massive injuries.

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.

Scream!

• On April 9, 2004, 21-year-old Bantita Rackchamroon died after being struck by the roller coaster Scream while on the tracks during a test run prior to the park's opening that day. The roller coaster was allowed to be re-opened the next day after an OSHA inspection.

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Boomerang

• On August 24, 1999, 28 passengers were stranded on the Boomerang ride for several hours. The lifting device that pulled the train up an incline failed to release the train, and riders were rescued by firefighters in cherry pickers.

Scat-a-bout

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

Starfish

• In May, 2001 Silvia Zavala, 41, was thrown from the ride when a restraining bar failed as the result of a pneumatic valve being incorrectly installed. Zavala 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.
• On June 8, 2002 Madeline Truitt-Melgoza, a 4-year-old girl, was critically injured when she slipped beneath the restraining bar and fell from the Starfish ride, receiving critical head injuries.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.

Animal Attacks

• On January 5, 1996 two trainers were attacked by cougars during an exercise session. Trainer Greg Lee was in the cougar enclosure to take one of the animals for a walk. The cougars, Zuni and Tonto, had been playing amongst themselves and began agressively playing with Lee, causing him severe cuts on his face and upper torso. Backup trainer Chad Zierenberg suffered minor cuts and bruises in his attempt to free Lee.
• On July 31, 1998, Kuma, a two year old Bengal tiger attacked and seriously injured Jaunell Waldo of San Jose, California and slightly injured trainer Chad Zierenberg. 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 Waldo fell off the photo platform and landed on top of her. Zierenberg suffered a clawing while trying to free Waldo who received serious injuries to her head and upper torso.
• On June 2, 2004, a 23 year old African elephant named Micha gored trainer Patrick Chapple in her enclosure as Chapple walked beside her. This was Micha's second aggressive act following a previous swipe at a trainer two years previously.

Six Flags New England

Superman: Ride of Steel

• On May 1, 2004, 55-year-old, 230 lb (100 kg) Stanley Mordarsky of Bloomfield, Connecticut fell out of his coaster seat during the last turn on the Superman coaster and was killed. Reports show that the ride attendant had not checked that Mr. Mordarsky's ride restraint was secure as his girth was too large for the T-bar-shaped ride restraint to close properly. His 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.

Six Flags Over Georgia

Batman: The Ride

• In May 2002, 58-year-old Samuel Milton Guyton, a Six Flags employee, was struck in the head by the legs of a passenger after entering a restricted area during the ride's operation. He died in the hospital as a result of the injury.

Goliath

• In July 2006, 45-year-old Michael Corry of Birmingham, Alabama died of a heart attack while riding Goliath. He was alert during the ride, but was unconscious when the train arrived at the loading platform. 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. Goliath was closed for two hours for an inspection, but was found to be operating normally.

Great Six Flags Air Racer

• In June 1984, 34 passengers were injured after a computer malfunction caused the ride's cables to drop the planes out of position.

Unnamed roller coaster

• In May 1984, a mechanical problem caused a roller coaster to stop abruptly, sending four people to a hospital. The ride was repaired and put back into service with no more problems.

Six Flags St. Louis

Rail Blazer

• In July 1984, 46-year-old Stella Holcomb was riding the Rail Blazer roller coaster when she was flung from the ride and fell 20 feet 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 country, but following this incident it was converted to a sit-down coaster.

The Sky-Way

• On July 26, 1978, a gondola slipped off its ropes and fell to the ground, resulting in the deaths of two children and an adult, and seriously injuring one other person.

Six Flags Over Texas

Texas Tornado

• On March 12, 2006 7 people suffered minor injuries when the Texas Tornado was brought to an abrupt stop and several swing seats collided with each other. One person was sent to the hospital after complaints of back pain, the others were treated at the on-site first aid station.

Roaring Rapids

• On March 21, 1999, 28-year-old Valeria Cartwright drowned, and 10 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 got caught on an underwater pipe, which provided leverage for the rushing water in the ride to flip the boat over. In a subsequent settlement, Six Flags agreed to pay US$4 million to the Cartwright family, and the company would join the Cartwrights in a lawsuit against Canyon Manufacturing Co., the company responsible for parts that were related to the accident.

References

1. "'Cajun Cliffhanger' Shut Down In Legal Settlement". WMAQ. 2002-03-28. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
2. "Girl Dies After Collapsing At Six Flags". CBS 2. 2006-08-17. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
3. "Accident Blamed on Axle Flaw". Chicago Tribune. 1998-04-21. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
4. "EVOLUTION OF CALIFORNIA'S AMUSEMENT RIDES SAFETY LAWS". California Research Bureau, California State Library. 1997-08-01. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
5. "Chicago man dies at water park". Chicago Sun-Times. 2005-06-30. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
6. "Great America Employee Dies of Ride Injuries". WISN. 2004-05-18. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
7. "Girl's death at Six Flags blamed on heart condition". ABC 7. 2005-12-05. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
8. "Ride in Jersey Park Opens After Death". New York Times. 1981-08-18. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
9. Ride Accidents website
10. Joe Costal. "Fire at the Haunted Castle (excerpted from Amusement Park Crisis Management)". Haunted Attraction Magazine. Retrieved 2006-07-29.
11. "State Fire Marshall's Advisory". Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. 1999-06-03. Retrieved 2006-07-29.
12. "Jury Acquits Great Adventure". Philadelphia Inquirer. 1985-07-21.
13. William G. Childs (2005-10-20). "Criminal Prosecutions in the Amusement Industry – Is There a Trend?" (PDF). MassTort.org - Torts, IP, Amusement Park Safety, other stuff. Retrieved 2006-07-29.
14. "Third Suit Filed in Fatal Fire". New York Times. 1984-07-07. Retrieved 2006-07-29.
15. "Settlement in Fire At Park in Jersey". New York Times. 1085-12-21. Retrieved 2006-11-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
16. "Rider on Roller Coaster Dies In a Fall at Great Adventure". New York Times. 1987-06-18. Retrieved 2006-07-29.
17. List of additional articles regarding Lightnin' Loops incident
18. "Kentucky Supreme Court Reinstates $3 Million Defamation Verdict". Gannett. 2005-09-09. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
19. "Girl's feet severed on ride at Six Flags in Kentucky". CNN. 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
20. "Kentucky". USA Today. 1990-07-24. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
21. "How Safe Are The Rides At Magic Mountain?". ABC7. 2007-04-04. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
22. ^ "Roller Coaster Worker Dies at Magic Mountain". Los Angeles Times. 1996-05-31. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
23. "Family Sues Amusement Park Owner Over Death". Los Angeles Times. 2002-05-23. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
24. "Magic Mountain Allowed To Reopen Roller Coaster". Ultimaterollercoaster.com. 2004-04-10. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
25. "Bad Cable Blamed in Marine World Ride Failure". San Francisco Chronicle. 1999-09-04. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
26. "BAY AREA DATELINES". San Francisco Chronicle. 1999-09-06. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
27. "Marine World Says 9-Year-Old Boy at Fault for Fall From Ride". San Francisco Chronicle. 1999-09-07. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
28. "Previous accident blamed on valve / Marine World's 'Starfish' shut down". San Francisco Chronicle. 2002-06-11. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
29. "Girl hurt in fall off Marine World ride". San Francisco Chronicle. 2002-06-09. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
30. "Marine World blamed in girl's accident/4-year-old wasn't seated correctly, sign not posted at ride, report concludes". San Francisco Chronicle. 2002-08-24. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
31. "2 Marine World Trainers Attacked by Cougars/One man badly clawed, hospitalized". San Francisco Chronicle. 1996-01-05. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
32. "Tiger Mauls Woman at Marine World/Trainer also hurt at Vallejo park". San Francisco Chronicle. 1998-08-01. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
33. "Marine World trainer badly hurt by elephant". San Francisco Chronicle. 2004-06-02. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
34. "New England: Massachusetts: Coaster Death Report". New York Times. 2004-05-08. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
35. "Investigators Preparing Report in Roller Coaster Death". NBC30.com. 2004-05-04. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
36. Cite error: The named reference boulderclass was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
37. "Man dies after riding roller coaster at Six Flags". Macon Telegraph. 2006-07-28. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
38. "4 Injured on Six Flags Ride". New York Times. 1984-06-05. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
39. "4 Injured on Six Flags Ride". New York Times. 1984-06-05. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
40. "Woman Flung to Death From Roller Coaster". New York Times. 1984-07-09. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
41. "Seven injured at Six Flags over Texas, 'Texas Tornado' swing ride malfunctions". Coaster-net. 2006-03-14. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
42. "'Unimaginable' events led to accident, officials say". Corpus Christi Online. 1999-04-21. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
43. "Six Flags to pay millions to victim's kin". AP. 2002-02-23. Retrieved 2006-07-31.

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