Buzz
Amusement parks are designed to deliver excitement, and while we enjoy the adrenaline rush, we often reassure ourselves that, much like watching a scary movie, everything is completely safe. Roller coasters that hurl us skyward, leaving us breathless and pinned by intense forces, create the illusion of peril. While this is usually the case, behind the park's dazzling facade lie massive machines, and even the slightest error can transform a day of fun into a devastating disaster.
10. Kings Island, Mason, Ohio
On June 9, 1991, tragedy struck Kings Island amusement park. In one harrowing event, a man fell into a pond. His friend, 20-year-old William Haithcoat, and a park employee, 20-year-old Darrel Robertson, rushed to save him. All three were electrocuted, resulting in the deaths of Haithcoat and Robertson. Just an hour later, 32-year-old Candy Taylor fell from the Flight Commander ride and succumbed to her injuries.
Interestingly, Kings Island has long been rumored to be haunted. Visitors have claimed sightings of a young girl dressed in blue. In 2012, the SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters even filmed an episode at the park, adding to its eerie reputation.
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9. Oakwood Theme Park, Pembrokeshire, Wales
In April 2004, 16-year-old Hayley Williams went to Oakwood Theme Park with her family. While on Hydro, a water-based roller coaster, she was tragically thrown from her seat, plummeting 30 meters (100 ft) to the ground. She succumbed to severe internal injuries shortly after.
The park faced a £250,000 fine for negligence after investigations revealed that staff routinely failed to inspect the safety bars and seat belts securing riders on the Hydro. Following Hayley’s tragic death, the ride was shut down for a year and later rebranded as “Drenched.”
Photo: Geoff Cooper
8. Action Park, Vernon, New Jersey
Action Park in New Jersey earned a notorious reputation as one of the most dangerous amusement parks ever. It was a chaotic mix of hazardous rides, intoxicated visitors, and indifferent teenage staff. Numerous injuries occurred on its water slides, and at least six fatalities were recorded, including drownings, an electrocution, and a heart attack reportedly triggered by the icy waters beneath a rope swing.
A tragic incident occurred when a man’s car veered off the Alpine Slide, leading him to strike his head against a rock, resulting in his death. By 1998, the overwhelming number of lawsuits compelled the owners to shut down Action Park. Years later, it reopened as Mountain Creek, a safer and more regulated version, with its chaotic and dangerous past hidden behind new safety measures and guidelines.
7. Discovery Cove, Orlando, Florida
Located within Sea World in Orlando, Florida, Discovery Cove offers visitors a hands-on experience, allowing them to snorkel alongside tropical fish and engage with dolphins, otters, and monkeys. While this might seem like a dream for many, it turned into a horrific ordeal for 59-year-old British tourist Keith Clarke. During his swim at the park, he sustained a toe injury from a piece of coral.
As a hemophiliac, Clarke faced severe complications from the wound. Three days later, he collapsed at the airport while heading home. Diagnosed with septic shock, he was flown back to England, where doctors attempted to save him by amputating both legs below the knees. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain, and Clarke passed away from group B streptococcal septicaemia after multiple organ failure.
6. The Cyclone, Coney Island, New York
Coney Island in Brooklyn today is a shadow of its pre-World War II heyday, though iconic attractions like the Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone still operate. The Cyclone, a historic wooden roller coaster constructed in 1927, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally, a ride cost just 25 cents, a stark contrast to the $9 fee charged today.
The aging coaster has been linked to numerous injuries and at least three deaths, the most recent being 53-year-old Keith Shirasawa, who suffered a broken neck from the intense force of the Cyclone’s initial drop. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Shirasawa passed away days later due to complications from surgery.
5. Gulliver’s World Theme Park, Warrington, England
In July 2002, 15-year-old Salma Saleem, who had Down’s syndrome, tragically fell over 6 meters (20 ft) from a Ferris wheel at Gulliver’s World Theme Park. She succumbed to head injuries. A subsequent investigation revealed that Salma had wished to ride with her mother, but park staff deemed her too large and directed her to sit alone in a separate gondola.
Neither Salma nor her mother could effectively communicate their concerns in English. Shortly after the ride started, Salma reportedly climbed out of her seat and fell. Although her lap bar was found secured after the incident, the park faced significant fines for breaching health and safety regulations.
4. Six Flags Over Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia
Batman: The Ride is a thrilling roller coaster that simulates a journey through Gotham City and the Batcave. In June 2008, tragedy struck when 17-year-old Asia Leeshawn Ferguson lost his life. After losing his hat during the ride, Ferguson climbed over two barriers and disregarded warning signs in an attempt to retrieve it.
Tragically, the teenager strayed into the coaster’s path as it sped by at 80 kilometers (50 mi) per hour, resulting in his decapitation. A similar incident occurred six years prior when a groundskeeper was fatally struck by a rider’s leg after approaching the moving ride.
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3. Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Township, New Jersey
The Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure was a standard haunted house experience, featuring a brief walk through a dark space with actors dressed as monsters jumping out to scare visitors. However, on May 11, 1984, the attraction turned into a real-life nightmare when it caught fire. While most visitors escaped with minor smoke inhalation, eight teenagers were trapped and perished in the flames. The victims were so severely burned that dental records were required for identification.
Following the disaster, the park faced legal scrutiny as the Haunted Castle lacked essential safety features such as sprinklers and smoke detectors. Despite this, Six Flags avoided liability, as the attraction was classified as a “temporary structure,” and the fire was suspected to be arson rather than a result of negligence.
2. The Big Dipper, Battersea Fun Fair, London, England
In 1951, Battersea Park in London introduced the Fun Fair as part of the Festival of Britain. Its star attraction was The Big Dipper roller coaster. While it may not have looked as menacing as modern steel coasters, The Big Dipper was notoriously hazardous.
In 1972, a horrific accident occurred when one of the coaster’s cars detached and rolled backward into the station. Five children lost their lives, and numerous others were injured. This tragedy led to the decline of the Battersea Fun Fair, which struggled to operate until its closure in 1974.
1. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville, Kentucky
Batman isn’t the only superhero-themed ride with a dark history in the Six Flags lineup. The Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom was the scene of a gruesome event. The ride lifts passengers approximately 17 stories high before plunging them into a rapid free fall.
On June 21, 2007, a cable snapped, entangling 13-year-old Kaitlyn Lasitter’s neck and legs. She managed to free her neck, but the cable tightened around her legs as the ride descended, severing both feet. Surgeons successfully reattached her right foot, but the ride was permanently removed from the park shortly after the incident.
+Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia
To end on a lighter note, we turn to the peculiar incident involving Fabio. The Italian model, famous for adorning the covers of romance novels and promoting “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!”, found himself part of one of the most bizarre amusement park mishaps in 1999 during his visit to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg.
Fabio was invited to ride Apollo’s Chariot during its inaugural run. Midway through the ride, he experienced an unexpected encounter with a flying goose, leaving him with a bloody nose. Photos captured him exiting the ride, visibly injured. He was taken to the hospital for minor treatment, while the goose did not survive the collision.
