Six Flags coaster underwent maintenance hours before fatal fall, witnesses say
Witnesses said Six Flags Over Georgia’s Goliath rollercoaster had been closed for maintenance hours before a 42-year-old man fell to his death on Monday. The timing is a focus of attention as authorities investigate the fatal incident and the ride’s safety systems.
Two visitors said staff announced delays while waiting for maintenance workers, and that they saw an employee make several test runs. Investigators are examining the lap bars, locking mechanisms and computerised sensors; witnesses also reported unusual clicking from the restraints. Four other people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, and Six Flags closed Goliath and more than 10 other coasters as a precaution.
- Goliath was reportedly closed for maintenance earlier that day.
- A 42-year-old man died after falling from the ride.
- Investigators are examining the restraints and safety sensors.
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Rollercoasters use restraints, such as lap bars, to keep riders in place, alongside sensors and other systems that check whether the ride is ready to operate. Maintenance and test runs are part of how operators check equipment, while investigators can examine the ride and its records after an incident.
Six Flags Over Georgia is an amusement park near Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia. Goliath is one of its large rollercoasters, and Six Flags is the company that operates the park.
When someone is seriously hurt or killed on a ride, authorities look at how the ride was maintained and operated, and whether its safety equipment worked as intended. Their findings can help establish what happened and whether changes are needed at the park or elsewhere.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Six Flags’ Goliath rollercoaster was closed for maintenance in hours before teacher’s fatal fall, witnesses say”.