A malfunction on one of the world’s fastest and tallest wooden rollercoasters on Thursday night in New Jersey resulted in five individuals being sent to the hospital with back pain.
The El Toro roller coaster at Six Flags in Jackson Township, 20 miles east of Trenton, felt like it “struck a pothole,” according to riders.
El Toro can go at a top speed of 70 mph.
After a partial derailment last summer, the 26-year-old rollercoaster, which is 19 floors high and has a 176-foot drop at a 76-degree angle, reopened this year.
After the incident on June 29, 2021, the state Department of Community Affairs “red-tagged” the wooden roller coaster, putting it out of commission and requiring an engineering assessment.
After Six Flags gave the public the assurance that inspectors had deemed it safe, it reopened in February.
However, in light of the tragedy on Thursday night, the operators are now faced with uncertainty regarding the fate of the iconic attraction.
After the third descent, a female passenger said on Facebook that it appeared as though the carriage “struck a pothole,” while another passenger claimed they believed they had chipped a tooth.
On Thursday, shortly following the 7:30pm incident, the ride was shut down.
Several visitors complained about back pain this evening after riding El Toro, according to Gabriel Darretta, a representative for Six Flags.
Five visitors were sent to a nearby hospital for evaluation. The ride is closed while it is being inspected.
The majority of the injuries, according to the Jackson Township Police Department, were minor, and no officers were dispatched to the scene.