Fatal roller coaster incident at US amusement park leaves one dead and several injured

One person died and several others were injured in an incident involving a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, Georgia, on Monday (12 October), prompting a police investigation.

Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the incident or identified the ride involved, although local television footage showed passengers being evacuated from the Goliath roller coaster.

The department said detectives from its Major Crimes Unit were investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Goliath roller coaster evacuated

Although police and Six Flags did not identify the attraction involved, television footage showed passengers being evacuated from the Goliath roller coaster. The ride was stopped on the track, with some passengers making their way down an emergency staircase as staff assisted with the evacuation.

Local broadcaster WSB-TV reported that four people were injured in addition to the person who died. Police have not publicly confirmed the total number of injured people or disclosed their conditions.

Goliath is one of the park’s major attractions. It opened in 2006 and reaches a height of about 200 feet (61 metres), with a top speed of 70mph (113kph). The ride lasts approximately three and a half minutes and features steep hills and sharp turns, according to the park’s website.

The investigation will establish the circumstances of the incident. Authorities have not announced a cause or said whether any equipment malfunction contributed to it.

Six Flags expresses condolences and co-operates with police

Six Flags said the park team and local authorities responded immediately and that it was co-operating fully with investigators.

“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. The company extended its condolences to the deceased person’s family, friends and loved ones and said it was providing support to affected guests and employees.

The park declined to release further details, citing the family’s privacy and the ongoing investigation.

Cobb County Board of Commissioners chairwoman Lisa Cupid also issued a statement on Monday, saying she understood that the deceased person’s next of kin had been notified.

“My heart aches for the family who lost a loved one,” she said, adding that the county was working with Six Flags and other relevant partners as the investigation proceeded.

Cupid described the amusement park as an important part of the county’s tourism industry, attracting visitors from across Georgia and the wider south-eastern United States.

Mableton Mayor Michael Owens said the city’s public safety director was co-ordinating with Cobb County Police and park security.

Nine roller coasters closed at six parks

Six Flags temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six amusement parks following the fatal incident, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

A company spokesperson said the attractions were similar to the coaster involved in the Georgia incident and had been closed “out of an abundance of caution”.

The closures were precautionary. The company did not announce that the rides had been found to have the same fault or that a mechanical problem had been confirmed at Six Flags Over Georgia.

The investigation in Georgia was continuing, and authorities had not released further information about the cause of the death or injuries.

Previous fatality and other roller coaster cases

The latest death adds to the history of fatal incidents associated with Six Flags Over Georgia. The Associated Press reported that a man died in 2006 after suffering what was believed to have been a heart attack while riding Goliath.

The incident also comes amid legal disputes concerning another Six Flags attraction, X2, at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California.

The park announced in September that it would permanently retire the ride following lawsuits alleging that passengers had suffered serious brain injuries.

The lawsuits concern separate incidents and do not establish a connection with the Georgia case.

Last year, a 32-year-old man died after riding a high-speed roller coaster at Universal Epic Universe in Florida. Authorities ruled that death accidental after determining that he had suffered blunt impact injuries.

The circumstances of the Six Flags Over Georgia incident remain under investigation. Police have not said when further findings will be released.