Multiple people were injured after riding a wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey on August 25 at night.
The incident happened on the 19-story El Toro roller coaster around 7:30 pm, according to park officials. As the trip drew to a close, something went wrong, causing multiple injuries to passengers on board at the time. So far the authorities indicate that those affected have minor injuries.
Some of the injured were treated at the scene and others were taken to Central State Medical Center in Freehold, according to Jackson Police Chief Matthew Kunz, who also noted that it was “unlikely” that those taken to the hospital would stay for an extended period of time. .
“Several people have reported back pain after riding ‘El Toro’ tonight,” Six Flags spokesman Gabriel Darretta said in an email to news outlets.
“Five injured were taken to a local medical center for evaluation,” the statement added.
In May, the El Toro roller coaster was named No. 1 on USA Today’s “Top 10 Roller Coasters of 2022” list, highlighted for its “powerful, wobbly” train and “unique old-school experience.”
El Toro is one of the fastest and tallest wooden roller coasters in the world, reaching a speed of 70 mph and a height of 176 feet.
In recent years, Six Flags has seen a number of past incidents at its parks. In 2020, attendees were briefly stuck on a portion of the tour during a power outage. And in 2021, a record channel malfunction sent two people to the hospital. The El Toro roller coaster along with Nitro and Joker were also briefly closed due to issues in 2021.