Woman killed in ride at Six Flags TX

[QueenD]

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metr...s-giant-roller-coaster-six-flags-confirms.ece

We are deeply saddened to share that earlier this evening an adult woman died in the park while on the Texas Giant.


@NewsBreaker: EYEWITNESS: @joshfleak: witnessed someone fly off...TX giant (6 Flags, Arlington TX) "restraint came undone, coaster turned & she was gone"

 

[QueenD]

The title should have been from ride.

From link above says several witness says, she fell out of the ride.

Park will not confirm that.

Always been my fear on those dang things, reason I don't ride them.

 

[believe09]

This is every single theme parks worse nightmare...words fail. I cannot imagine how terrifying this must have been.

 

[Ada]

From the above link (BBM):

On Facebook, a woman who said she was next in line to ride the Texas Giant wrote that “the lady whose seat I was about to get into on the Giant wasn’t there when the red train came back!! Seriously! People in front row screaming when they came back that their mom was gone. We waited about 50 mins & now kids are freaking out.”

Can you imagine! You get back and look in the cars behind, where your loved one was sitting, and it's empty?

 

[TexasLori]

So scary on so many levels. The poor woman, the poor riders, the ones who spend who knows how long in line next to her probably chatting with her, those who were on the ground and saw her fall.

My husband and I take my 7 year old daughter here every year during spring break. It scares the crap out of me. I like my feet on the ground, so I don't ride but my hubby and daughter are both thrill riders. So sad so tragic.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

RIP. How horrifiyng for everyone.

Here's a picture of what the seats look like on the ride if anyone's interested: http://www.aceonline.org/acenewsnow/Files/234/TX_Giant_G_trains2.jpg

 

[waitin'4thewrld2chg]

RIP. How horrifiyng for everyone.

Here's a picture of what the seats look like on the ride if anyone's interested: http://www.aceonline.org/acenewsnow/Files/234/TX_Giant_G_trains2.jpg

Those seats don't inspire confidence. I was hoping to see seat belts and there are none. Sadly, with the velocity involved and with minimum restraint evident, it is not hard for me to picture someone sliding out of one of those seats. I would hope this poor lady's death helps bring some change to this industry.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

There are a few comments saying that when all the restraints are secure (for lack of a better term) a green light goes on, allowing the ride operators to know the ride is ready to go. Maybe the light turned green and that's why the woman's concerns weren't addressed? I can't imagine they would let the ride go if the light was red.

 

[Melanie]

I haven't been on a roller in years, and don't plan on it anytime in the near future. Have hated them since high school. It seems like security is more lax these days. I know it's 1 in a million, but that's 1 in a million too many. MOO

Mel

 

[LJKaust]

Far out, some of the comments on their FB page are absolutely moronic!

Such a tragic event, I am sorry for her loved ones and those who were there when it happened

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

This absolutely terrifies me. How awful for her kids to be right there when she fell out....my God....I can't even imagine.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I haven't been on a roller in years, and don't plan on it anytime in the near future. Have hated them since high school. It seems like security is more lax these days. I know it's 1 in a million, but that's 1 in a million too many. MOO

Mel

It's actually probably safer today that in the past because there's a lot more regulations that have sprouted up due to accidents in past decades. For example, there was a fire at a haunted castle at Six Flags Great Adventure in 1984 that killed eight teenagers. The building didn't even have a sprinkler system, no fire drills, the wall was made of inflammable material. But due to that tragedy, there's been so many rules and restrictions passed where something like it could never happen again. There was another accident, I think in California, that caused an organization to start that would regulate all the rides to make sure they were safe.

Also, a lot of ride accidents are caused by the guests' own negligence.

 

[annemc2]

RIP. How horrifiyng for everyone.

Here's a picture of what the seats look like on the ride if anyone's interested: http://www.aceonline.org/acenewsnow/Files/234/TX_Giant_G_trains2.jpg

Jeez, yeah. Those leave something to be desired. Why not have a buckle along with that other "restraint?" I wonder if the woman was tiny - I can see how someone could just slide right out of there. How horrible - prayers for her family.

 

[Footwarrior]

On a ride like this, the attendants are supposed to check that the restraint at each position is latched before giving a signal to start the ride. The green light is intended to be an additional layer of safety. If a switch fails in the shorted position, the green light will be on even when that seat isn't properly latched.

The most likely scenario is that the ride operators started trusting the green light instead of properly checking each seat. Once they did, the failure of a small part can result in a tragedy.

 

[popsicle]

The title should have been from ride.

From link above says several witness says, she fell out of the ride.

Park will not confirm that.

Always been my fear on those dang things, reason I don't ride them.

I haven't been on a roller in years, and don't plan on it anytime in the near future. Have hated them since high school. It seems like security is more lax these days. I know it's 1 in a million, but that's 1 in a million too many. MOO

Mel

BBM and ditto!

I haven't been on a roller coaster since I was a child and then only a couple times. I always felt like I was going to fall out so I would turn side-ways and hold onto the back of my seat. I don't even like the scooby-do coaster. :scared:

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Boat rolls backward at Ohio amusement park; 7 hurt
6 hours ago

SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — A boat on a thrill ride at an amusement park that bills itself as the best in the world accidentally rolled backward down a hill and flipped over in water when the ride malfunctioned Friday, injuring all seven people on it.

Operators stopped the Shoot the Rapids water ride after the accident, which occurred on the ride's first hill, the Cedar Point amusement park said. Park police officers, medical technicians, ride operators and park visitors waded into the water and helped the passengers off the boat.

Cedar Point officials wouldn't say how the boat landed after rolling downhill. But witnesses told the Sandusky Register newspaper the boat flipped on its side or upside down...

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20130720/US-Amusement-Park-Boat-Accident/

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

"Pictured: The mother who plunged to her death from a Texas roller coaster in front of her horrified son"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...roller-coaster-Six-Flags-Over-Texas-park.html

 

[TexasLori]

After seeing this woman's picture and hearing the eyewitness who stated she didn't feel she was secure in her seat harness, I am betting that some major changes will be made to the guidelines for these types of rides. Mainly size/weight restriction. I am a big girl myself, and I don't judge anyone for his or her weight, but we have to be honest with ourselves that some things are just not safe for certain sizes. If you cannot fit in the safety features properly, it is just a risk not worth taking to ride.

I am in no way victim blaming. I am saying those who build the rides and write the guidelines should be more sensitive to weight and size. They are the experts, after all.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...roller-coaster-Six-Flags-Over-Texas-park.html

Safety procedures spotlighted in roller coaster death

 

[TexasLori]

I don't see anything about safety features in the article you posted?