As health officials ease on health restrictions brought by the pandemic, more people are visiting amusement parks again. Unfortunately, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey had an accident last Sunday as its Saw Mill Log Flume ride malfunctioned.
The incident injured two people and sent them to the hospital. The ride “tipped at an angle” around 6:30 pm. One was taken to the hospital for leg pain and the other was taken for arm pain.
The amusement park released a statement that “The safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority”.
The incident was caused by a broken guard rail after it was hit by a boat that came before the two individuals who were injured.
Steve Thomas was on the boat together with his two nieces and daughters, as his wife captured the incident on video where the rail gave out. According to Thomas, his kids said that they felt “quite a jolt” before the ride malfunctioned on the next boat. He said that “it was just leaning on an angle”. He added that “It’s not like they were going to fall out. It honestly didn’t look that bad”.
Thomas said that he didn’t see their boat hit the railing. However, he saw what happened next. He saw a woman crying and the boat was sitting at a 45-degree angle.
Thomas said that “It definitely could have been my children; they were probably less than a minute away from that happening to them”. Despite what happened, Thomas said that he will definitely go on the ride again. “I remember going on the log flume 30 years ago and it being one of the great rides there”.
First-Ever Log Flume Ride
The ride is an attraction at Six Flags Great Adventure since the 1970s. It was built in 1974 and was touted as the “world’s first ever log flume ride”. The design of this ride takes the guests through its watercourse inside a log-shaped boat. It then culminates a four-story-high nose dive that will splash its riders. The ride remains closed until park officials conducted a full inspection.