Six Flags’ ‘Nitro’ Roller Coaster Breaks Down, Strands Riders

A roller coaster at a New Jersey theme park broke down Friday afternoon, forcing riders to walk down an emergency exit from over 200 feet up, People is reporting.

A power outage is blamed for the mishap that caused the Nitro roller coaster at Six Flags Adventure & Safari in Jackson, New Jersey. The ride was closed for the remainder of the day. The malfunction caused the coaster’s train to stop near the peak of the ride’s first drop – a drop of over 233 feet. Christian Science Monitor reports that park employees had to climb up the hill to help the stranded riders out of their seats, then down a walkway to safety. No injuries were reported.

Nitro is billed as a “hyper-coaster” (meaning it’s over 200 feet high). According to the park’s website:

“That first hill is a staggering 233 feet high. As you crest the top, you’re so high up you can literally see Philadelphia! But you won’t get to enjoy the view for long because almost immediately you’ll be thrust down a 215 ft drop.”

Nitro is considered one of the top roller coasters in the country. Coaster-enthusiast magazine Coaster Buzz ranks Nitro at #17 in the U.S. Time Magazine’s Techland section ranked it #3.

The summer travel season often brings out news of mishaps at theme park attractions. Last month, a fallen tree limb on the tracks dislodged a train full of passengers on the Ninja roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, according to Christian Science Monitor. Some riders were stranded for over three hours while rescue crews freed them one at a time.

Also last month, a report by the Orlando Sentinel revealed a spate of recent attractions at Orlando-area theme parks, including a 12-year-old boy lacerating his fingertips on Pirates of the Caribbean ride (see this Inquisitr article).

Have you ever been stranded, injured, or otherwise involved in a theme park attraction malfunction? Let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy of: Coaster Buzz