Map Shows Horrifying Amusement Park Tragedies in the US in Past 40 Years (2024)

Already this young summer season, there have been two terrifying incidents on amusement park rides in the U.S., one of which led to a parkgoer suffering critical injuries.

In Ohio, a man was hit on Wednesday by a roller coaster traveling over 65 mph at Kings Island theme park in Cincinnati. That tragedy came after dozens of riders were trapped upside down on a ride at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland on Friday.

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While rare, accidents and injuries at theme parks do happen. According to the Consumer Production Safety Commission, there were 1,299 injuries from amusement park accidents in the U.S. in 2019, the last year for which data is publicly available.

The map below looks at the different park tragedies over the years in the U.S.

Kings Island - June 2024

A 38-year-old man entered a restricted area of the Banshee roller-coaster ride on Wednesday and was struck by an oncoming car, according to the theme park.

He was airlifted to University of Cincinnati Medical Center following a trauma alert, and was in critical condition as of Thursday morning.

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A probe into the incident is underway.

Oak Park - June 2024

On Friday, emergency crews rescued 28 people who ended up stuck on the AtmosFear drop tower. They were left dangling upside down and in midair for about 30 minutes.

The park said the ride stopped at about 2:55 p.m. Emergency responders arrived at about 3:20 p.m. Crews were then able to get the riders down safely within minutes.

A park guest filmed the event on TikTok, showing the ride upside at a 90-degree angle while people remained strapped to their seats.

While the guest was filming, the amusement park made an announcement for all guests to "vacate the park immediately."

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All passengers on the AtmosFear were assessed by Portland Fire and Rescue and Medical Response. One rider with pre-existing medical conditions was sent to the hospital to be evaluated "out of an abundance of caution," according to a press release.

Universal Studios Florida - October 2016

On Oct. 1, 2016, a man and a 14-year-old girl suffered minor injuries when an e-cigarette exploded on the Hogwarts Express ride.

Disney's Hollywood Studios - October 2016

A 67-year-old man died after riding Star Tours on Oct. 24, 2016. He had a pre-existing heart condition.

Cedar Point - June 2015

A maintenance worker at the Ohio theme park was critically injured after being struck in the head by a moving train on the Flight Deck ride on June 12, 2015. A passenger sustained a serious hand and leg injury.

Cedar Point - August 2015

That same summer at the same park, a guest was killed after he entered a restricted, fenced in area and was struck by a roller coaster.

The coroner said the man, 45-year-old James Young II, was looking for a lost cellphone. He had ridden the Raptor coaster and lost some of his personal items during it. He attempted to retrieve them and was struck by a train in operation.

Six Flags Over Georgia - June 2008

The sprawling amusement park outside Atlanta was famous for a Batman ride that decapitated a park guest on June 28, 2008. A passing train hit the teenager while they were retrieving a lost hat.

The victim was with another boy who also entered the restricted area, but he was not injured.

Magic Springs and Crystal Falls - July 2006

A 45-year-old woman fell from the Twist and Shout coaster at the Arkansas park on July 30, 2006 due to centripetal force. She fell about 11 feet and was taken to the hospital.

Inspectors decided the park guest was too large for the ride, so the restraints did not work properly. A report from the Arkansas Department of Labor said the ride operator should not have let her occupy more than one seat on the ride.

Adventureland - July 2006

The Des Moines, Iowa park's famous Tornado roller coaster injured three people when a piece of wood left over from an inspection fell onto a car on July 24, 2006.

Dollywood - April 2004

On April 14, 2004, a woman fell out of one of the Dollywood Express carriages while it was in motion at Dolly Parton's amusement park in Tennessee. An investigation found a drink was spilled on the woman and she in turn lost her balance and fell out of the train.

She was taken to UT Medical Center and released a day later.

Six Flags Great America - May 2003

The Chicago park's Raging Bull attraction saw a fatality on May 3, 2003. Erica Emmons, an 11-year-old, died from a heart condition after riding the coaster. It was initially reported that Emmons choked on her gum, but an autopsy discovered she had a previously unknown heart condition.

Elitch Gardens Theme Park - May 2002

A 28-year-old man with Down syndrome opened his seat restraints on the Denver park's Rainbow ride on May 26, 2002. The ride was in motion, and he stood up, falling to his death.

Witnesses said he unlatched his seat belt and maneuvered out of the lap restraints.

Gillian's Wonderland Pier - August 1999

In one of the most notorious roller-coaster disasters in history, a mother and her son were killed and two others injured when a series of maintenance failures on the Wild Wonder ride in Cape May, New Jersey led to a car flying off the tracks on Aug. 28, 1999. An investigation found the anti-rollback mechanisms on their car were replaced with unapproved parts.

Cedar Point - August 1999

On Aug. 22, 1999, a 12-year-old boy fell from the Drop Tower in Ohio and died. His family claimed the shoulder harnesses were not locked properly. An investigation was inconclusive, and no charges were ever filed.

Elitch Gardens - July 1999

On July 11, 1999, a woman sued the Denver theme park because of injuries she said she obtained on the Mind Eraser roller coaster, which is marketed as a "monster coaster" that suspends riders through rollovers, dives, and double corkscrew spins at speeds greater than 55 mph, according to the park's website. The plaintiff said the ride gave her a bloody eye, slurred speech and memory loss. At least 21 other people also complained of injuries from the ride.

Cedar Point - September 1998

On Sept. 7. 1998, a 25-year-old man was struck by the dangling legs of a rider from the Flight Deck ride at the Ohio park. There were allegedly issues with his ability to understand the warning signs. He entered the ride's restricted area to retrieve a hat.

He was pronounced dead an hour later at the hospital. The rider's leg was broken.

Six Flags AstroWorld - August 1997

The former Houston park's Excalibur roller coaster struck a 51-year-old employee on Aug. 9, 1997 while they were working on a section of the track. A signal had been sent to the operator indicating that the track was clear.

Disneyland - January 1984

A woman fell from Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disney's California park and was hit by another car on Jan. 3, 1984. She was killed.

Silver Dollar City - July 1980

An operator at the 1880s-themed park in Branson, Missouri switched a train on the Fire In The Hole ride to the service area, unaware it contained riders. One man died when he struck the low overhang.

Six Flags Great Adventure - May 1984

In what's considered the worst U.S. theme park accident on record, a fire destroyed the Haunted Mansion attraction, trapping and killing eight teenagers on May 11, 1984.

Six Flags Great Adventure and its parent company Six Flags were indicted for aggravated manslaughter and accused of recklessly causing the deaths.

Prosecution argued in trial that the park ignored repeated warnings from safety consultants who told them to install sprinklers or smoke alarms.

The defense argued the fire was arson, and a jury found the the park not guilty in a criminal trial. Six Flags ended up paying millions in civil damages to the victims' families.

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Map Shows Horrifying Amusement Park Tragedies in the US in Past 40 Years (2024)
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