Six Flags closes Nitro at Great Adventure after death on similar roller coaster in Georgia

A Six Flags Great Adventure roller coaster in New Jersey was among nine rides closed nationwide by Six Flags Entertainment Corp. after a man fell to his death at one of the company’s Georgia amusement parks, the company said Tuesday.

In a news release, Cobb County police said Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta, appeared to have been “ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling” beneath the roller coaster he was riding on shortly before 4 p.m. Monday at Six Flags over Georgia, in Austell, near Atlanta.

Police confirmed to Newsday that the roller coaster was the Goliath.

In an email Tuesday, a representative for parent company Six Flags Entertainment Corporation said that "out of an abundance of caution," it temporarily closed Nitro, at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, and eight other attractions across its parks it said were similar to Goliath.

"We were deeply saddened by the guest incident at one of our parks yesterday," the representative wrote. "Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones. We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected.

"The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we cooperated fully with local authorities. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time."

Six Flags’ website describes Goliath as a 70-mph, 200-foot-tall “hypercoaster” manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard and introduced in 2006. Hypercoasters are steel roller coasters over 200 feet tall that “prioritize airtime and speed over inversions,” often featuring large camelback hills designed to maximize weightlessness, according to the Six Flags blog.

Six Flags’ website describes Nitro as a 233-foot ride with a top speed of 80 mph, manufactured by B&M; Bolliger & Mabillard’s website said Nitro has been open since 2001.

The Monthey, Switzerland, company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation said it is North America’s largest regional amusement-resort enterprise, with 20 amusement parks, 14 water parks, and nine resort properties across 13 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico, as well as an amusement park in Saudi Arabia.

The company's stock price dropped more than 16% on the news.

By Nicholas Spangler

nicholas.spangler@newsday.comspanglernewsday

Nicholas Spangler is a general assignment reporter and has worked at Newsday since 2010.