1) Batman the Ride - Six Flags Georgia - 2008The popular "Batman the Ride" rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia was closed for a weekend in June 2008 while authorities investigated the death of a teenage boy who jumped over two fences and was struck by the ride, decapitating him in the process. He was on a trip with his local church. It was the second Batman ride-related death at the Cobb County park. According to park officials, a sign on a locked gate at the chain link fence read "Danger zone" and "Do not enter." |
2) Superman Tower of Power - Six Flags Kentucky - 2007In June 2007 a young girl who was "pretty and popular" lost both her feet in an incident on the Superman Tower of Power ride. The president of Swiss ride-maker Intamin, who built the ride, said a failed cord on the free-fall ride caused the injuries, but it was still unknown why the cord snapped. He also added that they sold the ride to the park back in 1993, but did not provide the cable that snapped. The father of the girl was recorded as stating "“We’ve got season passes. We’re not coming back for sure.” |
3) Steel Dragon 2000 - Nagashima Spa Land - 2003Steel Dragon 2000, which is one of the tallest (318ft), longest (8,133ft) and fastest (95mph) roller coasters in the world, had a serious accident in August 2003, just three years after its opening, when a train lost one of its wheels during operation. One of the passengers suffered a broken hip, but more bizarrely a nearby man in a swimming pool was also injured when the wheel that went flying off the roller coaster hit him abruptly. The ride was immediately closed and was not re-opened until 2006. |
4) Fujin Raijin II - Expoland - 2007The Fujin Raijin II, which travels up to 47 miles per hour, hit a guardrail at the Expoland amusement park in western Japan on "Children's Day" 5th May 2007, killing one person and sending 34 others to hospital. The cause of the accident: An axle on one of the six cars of the train broke, causing systemic damage to the whole mechanism. The park was subsequently closed pending harsh inspections of all the rides there. It later re-opened on 10th August 2007. It has earned the nickname "Tokyo Death Machine II". |
5) Wild Thing - Valleyfair - 2006At least 14 people were injured after riding the Wild Thing roller coaster at the Valleyfair amusement park in May 2006. The rear car derailed and slid along its side as it was going into the final brake run, just before the ride station. People on the ride at the time have been quoted as saying "It started jerking and moving around, like, not right," and "I will never go on a ride ever again in my life." Under investigation, records show that in June 1996, its computer system stopped the ride's lift mechanism, suspending 30 passengers near its highest point for 45 minutes. |
6) Rita Queen of Speed - Alton Towers - 2005Amelia Seiga, a 12 year old girl from Colwyn Bay, north Wales was treated for sprained wrists after going on the newly-opened Rita Queen of Speed roller coaster in April 2005. The girl complained of painful wrists shortly after the ride, so her mother took her to hospital for scans a week after the incident. The x-rays revealed small fractures in each wrist. The mother claimed the intense acceleration of the ride (0 - 60mph in 2.5 seconds) was the cause of the injury. |
7) Rock N' Roller Coaster - Disney Hollywood Studios - 2006A 12-year-old boy died after riding the Rock N' Roller Coaster in June 2006. Park officials said the ride was operating normally, but the boy was not responsive when his train returned to the station. He was pronounced dead by medics after he was taken by ambulance to the nearby Celebration Hospital. After an autopsy, it was discovered the boy had a congenital heart defect. State officials said at least 16 people have died at Disney's two theme parks in Florida and California between 1989 and 2006. |
8) Treetop Twister - Lightwater Valley - 2001In June 2001 a woman died following a crash where two carriages collided on the Treetop Twister ride at Lightwater Valley, North Yorkshire. Ms Savage, a 20-year-old student at the University of Durham, was airlifted to hospital after the crash. Another three men were also taken to hospital by ambulance, one with a broken arm. Ms Savage's injuries were too severe to save her life. Park spokesman Dudley Westgate said: "We have run the park for 20 years and it has an excellent safety record." |
9) Wildcat - Bell's Amusement Park – 1997 (Closed)At Bell's Amusement Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, one person was killed and five others were injured when two roller coaster cars collided on the park's Wildcat roller coaster. The accident happened as a car was nearing the top of the lift hill. The mechanism holding the car onto the track failed, causing the car to roll back down the hill and crash into another car which was approaching the chain lift. The victim, a 14-year-old boy, was thrown from the car during the crash and struck his head on a steel support. Two other boys were also treated at a local hospital. The Wildcat had been in operation at Bell's Amusement Park since 1974. It was inspected just two weeks prior to the accident. |
10) Space Invader - Blackpool Pleasure Beach - 2000The Space Invader ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was immediately closed after an 11 year old boy plunged from his car during the ride's operation and died from the injuries sustained from the fall. David Cam, company secretary and director of the pleasure beach, said: "Safety is of huge importance to us and we are very proud of our record." The Space Invader was built by German manufacturer Zierrer and since opening in 1984 it has carried half a million passengers a year.
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