How Many People Have Died at Six Flags Theme Parks?

Six Flags Theme Parks are extremely popular, with an estimated 28 million people visiting the company’s 56 theme parks across the country each year. When you go to Six Flags or other theme parks, you expect a day of fun: riding rides, playing games, and enjoying the fresh air. But a day at the park can turn tragic when an accident occurs.

While some accidents are minor, others can be extremely dangerous, and even deadly. This is why you need to have a personal injury lawyer on your side. Victims and the victims’ families need to know they have someone on their side who they can count on to fight for their rights and get them the compensation they deserve.

As we take a look at deaths at Six Flags theme parks, we’re also going to examine what can contribute to amusement park accidents and what types of damage may be sought.

What Six Flags Theme Parks Have Had the Most Deadly Accidents?

According to statistics published by  Safer America in 2023,  there have been 61 deaths at amusement and water parks that the Six Flags franchise owns. There have been other reports that raise this number higher, but it contains deaths that occurred at the former Cedar Fair venues. The Cedar Fair franchise formally merged with Six Flags in July 2024.

When you break down these fatalities according to the various Six Flags Theme Parks, Magic Mountain has had the most fatalities, recording 7 park deaths. Great Adventure and Over Georgia have both had 6 deaths, followed by Great America and Over Texas, where 5 people have died.

The following parks have reported fewer than 5 deaths over the years:

• America
• La Ronde
• Louis
• Darien Lake
• Elitch Gardens
• New England
• Astro World
• Discovery Kingdom
• HH-Chicago
• HH-Concord
• HH-SplashTown
• New Orleans
• World of Adventure

There are 6 Six Flags amusement and water parks that have not recorded any fatalities. These are:

• Frontier City
• Six Flags White Water
• Six Flags Fiesta Texas
• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Rockford
• Six Flags New Mexico
• Six Flags Great Escape

Deadliest Six Flags Attractions

Amusement park goers know that when they go on a ride, there is always a chance that something can go wrong. At Six Flags Parks, there are several attractions that are known to be the deadliest.

The Haunted Castle- Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey

The Haunted Castle was built into a seventeen-trailer edition in 1979, expanding on a smaller version originally built in 1978. It was only supposed to be built for the Halloween season, but it became so popular that it turned into a permanent ride. In 1984, a fire broke out inside the castle. There were about 30 guests and employees inside when the fire started. Eight teenagers died from smoke inhalation.

During an investigation after the accident, dozens of fire code violations were revealed. There were no smoke detectors or fire sprinklers. Six Flags Great Adventure was sued for aggravated manslaughter. But they were found not guilty. This was due to the fact that the ride was classified as a temporary structure and did not have to follow all of the rules that the original permanent structures did. Six Flags did pay out millions of dollars in civil damages to victims’ families.

Revolution

The Revolution was the first modern rollercoaster to have a vertical loop in six flags theme parks. It opened in 1976 and is still operating today. In 1996, the train on the rollercoaster hit and killed an employee. The employee stepped onto the tracks in front of the loading area when she lost her balance and fell into a shallow pit below the ride.

In 2015, a 10-year-old girl was found unconscious, but breathing on the roller coaster. She died a day later. Her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming there were defects on the ride’s design that resulted in a preventable death as well as a delayed medical response.

Batman: The Ride

Batman: The Ride has been the site of two deaths at Six Flags Over Georgia. In 2002, a groundskeeper was walking underneath the ride and was hit by a passenger’s leg. The passenger was treated and released from the hospital, but the impact of the blow proved deadly for the employee. It is unknown why the employee was underneath the coaster in a no-access area of the park.

Another accident in 2008 occurred when two men jumped over fences below the ride. The ride’s train hit one of the men, decapitating him. The second person was not injured. It was unclear why the men were in that area at the time.

Rolling Thunder

Rolling Thunder was a wooden roller coaster that was at Six Flags Great Adventure from 1979 to 2013. There were two fatal accidents that happened about two weeks apart from one another. In 1981, a park employee fell to his death from the coaster during a routine test ride. An investigation revealed that the ride was operating normally and that the employee may not have been properly restrained.

A few weeks later, a woman was found unresponsive in her seat when the ride stopped. An autopsy revealed that the victim choked from aspirating gastric material.

Hurricane Harbor – Six Flags Over Texas

Two people died at Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Over Texas. In 2011, a grandmother was found unresponsive and floating in the lazy river. The woman’s family sued, claiming that the park did not administer life-saving treatments fast enough and that a faulty defibrillator was at the scene. They also claimed that she did not receive CPR.

Another person died in 2021, but it was not related to a ride. A shooting resulted from a fight, leaving one victim dead. A suspect was charged with the murder.

Factors That Can Contribute to Amusement Park Accidents

There are many different factors that can contribute to amusement park accidents. These include:

• Mechanical failures
• Operator errors
• Stress of the ride
• Underlying health issues
• Passengers ignoring rules & misusing rides
• Environmental factors

Following any type of amusement park accident death, a thorough investigation is conducted to determine what led to the accident and who may be at fault. This may lead victims’ families to file lawsuits for compensation and damages.

What Types of Damages Can Be Sought in an Amusement Park Death?

Each case is different, but there are typical damages that can be received after an amusement park death. Families may file a wrongful death claim seeking monetary damages to cover funeral expenses and medical bills, as well as damages for pain and suffering.

They may also possibly seek punitive damages for park negligence. If it is proved that the park was negligent in some way, families may seek compensation for financial and other losses.

Contact us today for more information about wrongful death lawsuits.