After Death on Six Flags Coaster, Hersheypark Reopens Ride From Same Manufacturer
Hersheypark has brought back Candymonium, a Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster that closed after a fatal ejection from a similar ride at Six Flags Over Georgia. The Pennsylvania theme park says several layers of inspection cleared the coaster to carry riders again.
The Incident Behind the Closures
On October 12, 42-year-old Atlanta resident Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died after falling from his seat on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. Police, public souvenir photos, and eyewitness accounts indicate the educator and IT professional was “ejected,” struck other passengers and ride infrastructure, and landed near a building used for the park’s Fright Fest event. He was at the park with his family.
Riders reportedly screamed to alert operators as the train rolled back into the station, and some had blood on them. Employees emergency-stopped the coaster and evacuated the second train, which was still on the track.
Goliath remains closed while authorities investigate. So do other B&M coasters with the same clamshell-style restraints at Six Flags, Kings Island, Canada’s Wonderland, and Carowinds. Parks outside the Six Flags family also pulled similar rides, including Mako at SeaWorld Orlando and Candymonium at Hersheypark.
Some of these coasters have backup retractable seat belts, including Diamondback at Kings Island, Fury 325 at Carowinds, and Candymonium. Goliath had only the clamshell restraint.
Hersheypark’s Decision
Hersheypark said Candymonium would reopen on Friday, October 16, when the park resumes its weekend-only schedule. It gave ABC27 this statement:
“Candymonium plans to operate when Hersheypark opens to the public on Friday, October 16. Our thoughts remain with the guest’s family and everyone affected by Monday’s incident at Six Flags Over Georgia. Before making this decision, we had Candymonium thoroughly inspected. Our ride inspection team, which includes state-certified ride inspectors, and an independent external ride safety inspector each confirmed that the ride is operating as intended and that Candymonium remains safe to operate. We have also been in contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which oversees Amusement Park operations in the Commonwealth regarding our decision to operate the attraction. We also consulted with the ride’s manufacturer. Based on the information presently available, the manufacturer has not identified an engineering basis to recommend shutting down similarly designed coasters solely because of the incident in Georgia. Candymonium was custom-built to its own specifications, with multiple redundant safety systems, including a seatbelt at every seat in addition to the lap restraint. Safety is the foundation of everything we do, and we take that responsibility seriously.”
Have you ever been on Candymonium at Hersheypark? Tell Disney Dining about your experience in the comments.
