A 19-story roller coaster at Six Flags malfunctioned Thursday, resulting in multiple injuries. Six Flags confirmed the incident to Insider and says the ride is now closed for inspection. The company has been at the center of controversy recently after CEO Selim Basul called the parks a “teenage daycare.”
A roller coaster at a Six Flags amusement park in New Jersey malfunctioned Thursday afternoon, injuring multiple riders, including five who were treated at a nearby hospital, according to the amusement park. The incident, which occurred near the end of the El Toro roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure Park, according to NBC News, resulted in reported “headaches and minor injuries” from 13 riders, Six Flags confirmed to Insider. El Toro is a wooden coaster that reaches a peak of nearly 19 stories and has an initial drop of 176 feet at 70 miles per hour, according to the Six Flags website. In a statement to Insider, a Six Flags spokesperson said the ride is now closed for inspection. “The ride has completed its normal cycle and all guests have exited the ride without needing assistance. The ride will remain closed for inspection. Any maintenance and repairs required will be completed and the ride will be re-inspected by our engineers, the maintenance professionals, Independent third-party safety inspectors and the state of NJ prior to reopening,” the spokesperson said. Six Flags stock is down more than 6% since Friday afternoon. Six Flags was at the center of controversy earlier this month when CEO Selim Basul told investors on a call that heavy discounts had turned Six Flag parks into “a kindergarten for teenagers.” Read the original article on Business Insider
