On Sunday, electrical problems at the Six Flags Over Texas theme park in Arlington resulted in an injury to one Six Flags employee and sent six park visitors to local medical facilities.
After 6:30 p.m. on March 10, smoke was observed emerging from inside the rollercoaster ride, Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast. All guests and employees were immediately removed from the area.
Park safety personnel put out a small fire in the building before the Arlington Fire Department came on the scene. Once they arrived, the fire department ventilated the structure to clear out additional smoke.
First reports indicated that only four people were transported to local medical facilities out of “an abundance of caution.” The Arlington Fire Department later corrected the number to six visitors treated and released, while one employee was treated for a minor injury.
According to the amusement park, an early examination revealed that an electrical malfunction in one of the motors caused the fire.
The Six Flags roller coaster, named in recognition of a Batman villain, is set up to launch riders outside of the station at approximately 70 miles per hour. According to the park’s website, the rapid acceleration takes place in just 3.8 seconds. The thrill ride launches visitors backward, with sharp turns along the way, and leads to a 236-foot upward rise.
Six Flags is expected to reopen on April 15. The park is currently operating only on weekends. However, it remains unclear whether or not the Mr. Freeze roller coaster will be operational.
