Horror as woman plunges to her death from a Texas roller coaster in front of her young son
By DAVID MCCORMACK
PUBLISHED: 03:46 GMT, 20 July 2013 | UPDATED: 16:39 GMT, 20 July 2013
A woman has fallen to her death from a roller coaster at the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park in Arlington, Texas. The accident happened on the ‘Texas Giant’ ride at about 6:45 p.m. on Friday evening. One witness told The Dallas News that the woman had gotten on the ride with her son and that they believe she mustn’t have been strapped in correctly.'They didn't secure her right. One of the employees from the park — one of the ladies — she asked her to click her more than once, and they were like, 'As long you heard it click, you're OK.' Everybody else is like, 'Click, click, click.' Hers only clicked once. Hers was the only one that went down once, and she didn't feel safe, but they let her still get on the ride,' witness Carmen Brown told reporters.
A woman died on the Texas Giant roller coaster at the Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas on Friday evening
Witnesses who saw the woman tumble from the ride directed paramedics to the victim's location.'She goes up like this. Then when it drops to come down, that's when it (the safety bar) released and she just tumbled,' said Brown, of Arlington. Brown said she was waiting in line to get on the ride when the accident happened.
A witness told Fox DFW that she saw the safety bar secure normally before the ride began and that when it returned it was in the normal down position. Officials have not yet determined if the restraint came loose, causing the woman to fall. According to another witness, children were yelling 'we have to get my mom' when the roller coaster car pulled up at the end of the ride. Riders were hysterical and crying, reportsKXAS. People waiting in line for the roller coaster said park employees asked them to get out of line after the accident. The park closed an area of Six Flags around the area of the accident.'The cars came in and there was a man and a woman in the front," Gabe Flores told CNN, 'the man was saying, 'let me out, let me out, my mom fell off.''There's a turn that's pretty steep, and the person behind her empty seat said she... just flew out,' Flores added.
Witnesses who saw the woman tumble from the ride directed paramedics to the victim's location
One witness told The Dallas News that the woman had gotten on the ride with her son and that they believe she mustn't have been strapped in correctly
Officials at Six Flags have not yet revealed details about the woman's death, but released the following statement: ‘We are deeply saddened to share that earlier this evening an adult woman died in the park while on the Texas Giant.‘Park medical staff and local paramedics responded immediately. Since the safety of our guests and employees is our number one priority, the ride has been closed pending further investigation,’ said Sharon Parker, communications manager for Six Flags Over Texas. The park itself remained open, according to reports. Emergency crews had to use a ladder truck to reach the woman's body, according to Fox DFW. She fell onto a platform below the tracks, the station reported. Once recovered, her body was taken away by a 'funeral home vehicle.'
Witness: Carmen Brown, who saw the victim board the ride, says she was worried her restraint wasn't closed
'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends during this difficult time.’ The Texas Giant roller coaster debuted as an all-wooden ride in 1990, and reopened in 2011 redesigned with a steel track during the theme park's 50th anniversary. The ride's tallest height is 153 feet and has a drop of 147 feet. This is the park’s second fatality. In 1999, a 28-year-old Arkansas woman died and 10 others were injured when a boat capsized on the Roaring Rapids ride. In 2006, nine park patrons were injured on the Texas Tornado when one of the mechanical bearings that spins the ride malfunctioned.
People waiting in line for the roller coaster said park employees asked them to get out of line after the accident
History: In 1999, a Six Flags Over Texas ride overturned, killing a woman and injuring 10 others
PUBLISHED: 03:46 GMT, 20 July 2013 | UPDATED: 16:39 GMT, 20 July 2013
A woman has fallen to her death from a roller coaster at the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park in Arlington, Texas. The accident happened on the ‘Texas Giant’ ride at about 6:45 p.m. on Friday evening. One witness told The Dallas News that the woman had gotten on the ride with her son and that they believe she mustn’t have been strapped in correctly.'They didn't secure her right. One of the employees from the park — one of the ladies — she asked her to click her more than once, and they were like, 'As long you heard it click, you're OK.' Everybody else is like, 'Click, click, click.' Hers only clicked once. Hers was the only one that went down once, and she didn't feel safe, but they let her still get on the ride,' witness Carmen Brown told reporters.
A woman died on the Texas Giant roller coaster at the Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas on Friday evening
Witnesses who saw the woman tumble from the ride directed paramedics to the victim's location.'She goes up like this. Then when it drops to come down, that's when it (the safety bar) released and she just tumbled,' said Brown, of Arlington. Brown said she was waiting in line to get on the ride when the accident happened.
A witness told Fox DFW that she saw the safety bar secure normally before the ride began and that when it returned it was in the normal down position. Officials have not yet determined if the restraint came loose, causing the woman to fall. According to another witness, children were yelling 'we have to get my mom' when the roller coaster car pulled up at the end of the ride. Riders were hysterical and crying, reportsKXAS. People waiting in line for the roller coaster said park employees asked them to get out of line after the accident. The park closed an area of Six Flags around the area of the accident.'The cars came in and there was a man and a woman in the front," Gabe Flores told CNN, 'the man was saying, 'let me out, let me out, my mom fell off.''There's a turn that's pretty steep, and the person behind her empty seat said she... just flew out,' Flores added.
Witnesses who saw the woman tumble from the ride directed paramedics to the victim's location
One witness told The Dallas News that the woman had gotten on the ride with her son and that they believe she mustn't have been strapped in correctly
Officials at Six Flags have not yet revealed details about the woman's death, but released the following statement: ‘We are deeply saddened to share that earlier this evening an adult woman died in the park while on the Texas Giant.‘Park medical staff and local paramedics responded immediately. Since the safety of our guests and employees is our number one priority, the ride has been closed pending further investigation,’ said Sharon Parker, communications manager for Six Flags Over Texas. The park itself remained open, according to reports. Emergency crews had to use a ladder truck to reach the woman's body, according to Fox DFW. She fell onto a platform below the tracks, the station reported. Once recovered, her body was taken away by a 'funeral home vehicle.'
Witness: Carmen Brown, who saw the victim board the ride, says she was worried her restraint wasn't closed
'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends during this difficult time.’ The Texas Giant roller coaster debuted as an all-wooden ride in 1990, and reopened in 2011 redesigned with a steel track during the theme park's 50th anniversary. The ride's tallest height is 153 feet and has a drop of 147 feet. This is the park’s second fatality. In 1999, a 28-year-old Arkansas woman died and 10 others were injured when a boat capsized on the Roaring Rapids ride. In 2006, nine park patrons were injured on the Texas Tornado when one of the mechanical bearings that spins the ride malfunctioned.
People waiting in line for the roller coaster said park employees asked them to get out of line after the accident
History: In 1999, a Six Flags Over Texas ride overturned, killing a woman and injuring 10 others