"They're not going to do that, because it'll show they're weak or be construed as admitting liability - but the public, we need to know what causes these things," Martin said. "It's the same old script: 'Safety is our first priority.' If safety is their first priority, why don't they come out with their team of people responsible for that ride, and let them field questions," asked Ken Martin, a Virginia-based amusement park safety analyst who works with parks, fairs, government entities, insurance companies and attorneys. 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. Interview: 'The Joker' injury 'super scary' for son, mother says "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. "Additionally, we have an outstanding maintenance team, and our maintenance and safety experts complete extensive safety checks before opening the rides each day." 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.A 12 -year-old boy got off The Joker roller coaster with a bloody head injury on July 14, with no explanation how it occurred pictures of the boy being loaded into an ambulance appeared online, prompting public speculation about what occurred.El Toro, one of the park's signature roller coasters, has remained shuttered since June 29, after a train partially derailed, only coming to a stop after it traveled "most of the ride course" with its wheels out of place, according to an incident report.The Saw Mill Log Flume, freshly reopened after a 17-month shutdown by the state, tipped over one boat full of riders on June 13, sending two people to the hospital for evaluations. Afterward, a video posted on social media purportedly showed a guard rail meant to contain the boats broken and unfastened.The recent incidents occurred on four of the park's most popular rides: One commenter to the Asbury Park Press Facebook page simply asked: "How is Six Flags not shut down yet?" Six Flags accident and shutdown reports in 2020, 2021 After the fourth incident, social media users began comparing the 47-year-old theme park to Action Park, the infamous, injury-riddled theme park in North Jersey popularized in an HBO Max documentary released last year. The internet has been filling the communications void, in sometimes unflattering - if not informed - ways. Likewise, the state office in charge of inspecting Six Flags rides - the main attraction for over 3 million annual visitors - has failed to respond to repeated requests to make officials available to discuss the incidents or what steps are being taken to keep visitors safe. Six Flags issued written assurances that its rides were safe but declined to make officials available to answer questions. Whether the incidents, coming in such quick succession, speak to any wider concerns about safety or worker training is unclear. They led to three hospital visits for park guests. JACKSON - In the last six weeks, Six Flags Great Adventure, one of New Jersey's leading attractions, has seen four major attractions shut down after safety incidents. Ken Serrano has covered crime, breaking news, investigations and local issues in New Jersey for more than 20 years.Watch Video: Are roller coasters safe? | USA NOW "It looked like they did a decent job of getting people out," Brown said. Another rider appears to be stuck in the back of the boat.īrown ran the video on the YouTube channel for his marketing consulting business, Willow Brook and Monarch, based in Rhinebeck, New York.īrown praised Six Flags Great Adventure staff for their response. The people who were helped off the ride did not appear to be seriously injured in Brown's video.Ī woman with her arm in a sling is shown being led slowly away. There has been no update on their conditions. Two of the Log Flume riders were taken to a local hospital for evaluation, Fitzgerald said. One of the boats became tipped at an angle, but did not overturn, she said. More Six Flags: Jersey Devil Coaster opening at Six Flags Great Adventure On Sunday, Fitzgerald said, "Our first aid staff assisted several guests who were in a Log Flume boat that did not complete its cycle." Tammori Petty, spokeswoman for the state Department of Community Affairs, said the department's Carnival and Amusement Ride Safety Unit is investigating the incident.
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