Six Flags' El Toro Coaster Shut Down After Incident: Report

JACKSON, NJ — State officials have shut down the El Toro roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure following what officials called "a partial derailment" that happened Tuesday, according to a report.

The state Department of Community Affairs said El Toro has been shut down until further notice, the Asbury Park Press reported.

"After the ride stopped before completing its cycle, all riders were returned to the station and safely exited," Six Flags spokeswoman Kristin B. Fitzgerald said in an email to Patch. "The train’s safety systems worked as designed and the train remained on the track."

She said the incident happened about 4:30 p.m.

"All guests exited the ride station around 4:40 p.m. They were issued front-of-the-line passes to compensate for their time."

The ride will remain closed for a full inspection, she said.

A video posted to YouTube and dated June 29 shows one of the trains in the ride at a halt on a lower section of the track, with the wheels of the last car apparently elevated off the track.

El Toro, which opened in 2006, is a wooden-style roller coaster that climbs to 19 stories and has a first drop of 176 feet at 76 degrees. The coaster reaches speeds of more than 70 mph as the trains roll along the 4,400 feet of track.

El Toro is the second ride where there has been an incident in the last month. Two people were taken to the hospital for treatment June 13 when a boat on the Log Flume tipped on its side.

Video of the Log Flume published by NJ.com shows a guide railing loose on the ride, allegedly right before the June 13 accident. That ride has since reopened.

This article has been updated with comment from Six Flags.

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