UPDATE: 13 Riders Injured on El Toro Roller Coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ Thursday Evening
At least 13 riders were injured as they rode the El Toro roller coaster at Flags Great Adventure Thursday evening.
They were evaluated at the park, and five of those riders were transported to an area hospital, but have all since been released.
Gabriel Darretta, a spokesperson for the theme park, tells 94.5 PST that those passengers reported back pain and minor injuries.
"Of the five people taken to hospitals one was treated for a neck injury, two for back injuries, and two for mouth and tongue injuries," the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) spokeswoman Tammori Petty-Dixon told our sister station, New Jersey 101.5.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and a jolting during their ride, Petty-Dixon told New Jersey 101.5.
The DCA, which is responsible for investigating such incidents, has since instructed Six Flags to shut the ride down, for the time being, NJ101.5 reports.
One rider, Holly Cole, wrote on Facebook (in the public Great Adventure Connoisseurs group) that it felt like the ride hit a pothole after its third drop.
"A few said their backs were hurting and a couple of people said they couldn't breathe for a bit. I thought I might have cracked a tooth," Cole wrote.
Here's a picture of what the coaster looks like:
All guests were able to exit the ride without the need of assistance, the park's spokesperson tells us.
"Any maintenance and repairs necessary will be completed and the ride will be re-inspected by our engineers, maintenance professionals, our 3rd party independent safety inspectors, and the state of NJ prior to re-opening," Six Flags told 94.5 PST Friday afternoon.