Six Flags has closed nine roller coasters across six of its parks following a fatal incident at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell. The closure affects rides at parks in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Ontario, North Carolina, and Ohio, with the company citing similarities between the rides as the reason for the precautionary measure.
The fatality occurred on Monday on the Goliath roller coaster at the Georgia park, although Six Flags has not officially confirmed the specific ride involved. Local reports and witnesses identified the ride as Goliath, a 200-foot-tall roller coaster reaching speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. A witness said a man was “flung from the ride,” leading to a fatal injury. The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire is actively investigating the incident.
Lisa Cupid, chairwoman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, acknowledged the park’s importance to the region’s tourism economy and expressed regret over the tragedy. “We are all grappling with how something so devastating could happen at a place that has given generations of families such happy memories,” she said.
In response, Six Flags announced the suspension of the Goliath rides at Magic Mountain in California and Over Georgia, as well as suspensions of other similarly designed coasters: Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America in Illinois; Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey; Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario; Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds in North Carolina; and Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island in Ohio. The parks did not specify the technical reasons for selecting these coasters for closure, but described them as analogous in design or feel to the Goliath at Over Georgia.
The Georgia Goliath, manufactured by the Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard, which is known for a strong safety record, has been operational since 2006. In contrast, Magic Mountain’s Goliath, built by the now-defunct Swiss manufacturer Giovanola, opened in 2000 and features a 255-foot drop at a 61-degree angle, reaching speeds of up to 85 miles per hour.
Industry experts emphasized the rarity of such incidents. Martin Lewison, a theme park researcher and frequent roller coaster rider, noted the respected reputation of Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoasters and described the closure as a tragedy. Dennis Speigel, founder of International Theme Park Services, pointed out that despite nearly 2 billion rides annually across North America, serious injuries requiring hospitalization are extremely uncommon. He supported Six Flags' decision to close the rides pending further safety reviews.
The shutdown comes shortly after Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently retired its X2 roller coaster following multiple lawsuits alleging brain injuries. The X2 had been closed since July amid these concerns.
Six Flags Entertainment recently merged with Cedar Fair and has been restructuring its business, including selling seven parks this year to manage roughly $5 billion in debt. The company has not released further details on the ongoing investigations or when the affected rides might reopen.