A somber mood has settled over Six Flags Over Georgia, just days after a freak roller coaster accident claimed the life of a man at the popular theme park.
Families returning for the park’s reopening on Friday said the tragedy, which occurred four days earlier, was impossible to ignore at a destination known as one of the South’s leading attractions for thrill seekers.
Hassan Kariem, a 42-year-old father of two, died on Monday while riding the Goliath roller coaster. Images appeared to show him being thrown from his seat before striking part of the ride’s structure.
Goliath, Georgia’s largest roller coaster at more than 200 feet tall and a ride that stretches across much of the Six Flags property, remains closed indefinitely while authorities investigate Kariem’s death.
The accident cast a shadow over Friday’s Halloween-themed “fright night” reopening. Several rides that are usually crowded had little or no wait, while large sections of the park appeared nearly empty. Some families said they attended only after Six Flags declined to refund their tickets.
“It’s definitely a little quieter than I would have thought,” park visitor Sarah told Our News Outlet.
“We maybe woulda not come, but they didn’t give us a refund.”
The incident also made Valerie Herring hesitate before bringing her children into the park.
Hassan Kariem, 42, died in a freak roller coaster accident at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday
Kariem, an education technology professional at Wesley International Academy, had visited the park to celebrate his fiancée’s niece’s 13th birthday
Ghouls and skeletons decorated Six Flags Over Georgia when the park reopened on Friday
“But ultimately, they wouldn’t refund us, so here we are,” Herring said.
Advance weekday tickets were advertised from $45, but standard admission rose to $72 after fees. Some visitors paid as much as $250 per ticket for extras, including line-skipping options.
Six Flags’ website states that admission tickets are non-refundable.
Visitors who did not want to lose the money they had spent still came to the park, although some changed their plans for the day.
“It changed our thoughts on going on some of the rides,” park visitor Amanda Daniels said.
“We probably won’t go on any of the big coasters… I hope they find out exactly what happened.”
Father and son Matthew and Nathen Chaffin visited the park when it reopened on Friday and said they brought flowers to honor Kariem at the attraction
The fatal incident occurred Monday at Six Flags Over Georgia while Kariem was riding the Goliath roller coaster
A small floral tribute has been placed near the area where Hassan Kariem, 42, died after being thrown from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia
In an unsettling contrast to Monday’s tragedy, Six Flags continued selling Halloween-themed alcoholic cocktails in blood bags bearing the slogan ‘It’s to die for’ as the park reopened Friday
Public safety officers patrol Six Flags Over Georgia following the park’s reopening, just days after Kariem’s horrific death on the Goliath roller coaster
A sinister, red-eyed figure lurks at the park’s Halloween event, where visitors encountered gruesome decorations and frightening characters only days after a real-life tragedy
For the Halloween-themed re-opening, many of the attractions and products appeared to have been set up prior to Kariem’s passing, and many made references to death and gore.
Stores sold ‘blood bags’ filled with cocktails, and paid actors dressed up as blood-covered zombies and monsters.
While the details of Kariem’s death remain under investigation, witnesses on the roller coaster said he was forcefully thrown from the ride and he landed on the roof of a haunted house attraction.
Just days later, few tributes to Kariem or signs of the tragedy remain at the park, with only a bouquet of flowers left at the spot where Kariem died, a shadowy area tucked behind a restroom building.
Yet, while some customers said they feared for their safety on the rides, other die-hard adrenaline junkies said they were not put off.
Rochelle Falson, a self-described ‘daredevil,’ said she was riding on the Goliath roller coaster just moments before the tragic accident on Monday.
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Falson said she is a dedicated Six Flags enthusiast who said the park is her ‘favorite place to be,’ and said she rides the Goliath ride ‘every day.’
Signs advertising attractions including ‘The Nightmare Blood Beats’ and ‘Saw: Legacy of Terror’ greeted visitors as Six Flags reopened amid lingering questions about the fatal accident
A stark warning sign near a roller coaster cautions that entering restricted areas could result in ‘serious injury or death,’ as investigators continue examining the circumstances of Kariem’s fatal accident
Alcoholic drinks served in ‘blood bags’ were on display, despite the fact a man died at the park just days earlier
: A Halloween stage decorated with hooded figures and red curtains stands ready for visitors, as Six Flags pressed ahead with its seasonal festivities following the tragedy
The park was smoke-filled, with people dressed up in costumes, ready for Halloween festivities
For some families, a trip up to the Six Flags Over Georgia park has been months in the making, and even the shock incident on Monday was not enough to stop them making the journey
Describing witnessing the moment the accident unfolded on Monday, Falson said the park became ‘chaos’ as passengers were left running and screaming from the Goliath ride.
‘I was there that day, [Kariem] was getting on the ride as we were getting off,’ she said.
‘That s*** was so crazy,’ she added, adding that her own children were left scrambling to safety. ‘It was sad.’
Despite the gravity of the incident, the roller coaster enthusiast said she still ‘loves’ the Goliath ride, and would have gotten back on with no hesitation if it had been opened again by Friday.
Father and son Matthew and Nathan Chaffin, wearing matching Six Flags t-shirts dedicated to The Cyclone ride at the park, said they brought flowers to pay tribute to Kariem at the attraction.
The father, Matthew, said his family are Six Flags enthusiasts who have ridden the Goliath over 10 times, and said he was stunned when he saw the news on Monday.
‘It’s a tragedy, it’s terrible,’ he said. ‘We want to know what the cause of this awful situation is.’
An unusually quiet scene at Six Flags Over Georgia following Friday’s reopening, with the towering roller coaster visible above deserted walkways just days after the fatal accident
But he said the death on Monday did not deter him from bringing his family to the park, and said ‘the travel here is probably more dangerous.’
‘Everybody knows you take a risk if you ride a big crazy machine.’
For some families, a trip up to the Six Flags Over Georgia park has been months in the making, and even the shock incident on Monday was not enough to stop them from making the journey.
Sheryl Berrian said some members of her family had traveled over 180 miles to join her and her four young children at the park on Friday.
Berrian said she does not like roller coasters personally, but said she trusted the park’s safety staff to keep her children safe on the rides.
‘I trust them, yes, especially today,’ the mother said.
Asked if she thought Six Flags’ decision to re-open the park with a Halloween ‘fright night’ event was insensitive, Berrian winced and said she ‘hadn’t thought about it like that.’
Our News Outlet has contacted Six Flags for comment.
In a statement from the company after Kariem’s death, Six Flags park president Richard Pretlow said ahead of the re-opening: ‘We are deeply saddened by the recent incident at the park.
‘Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with the individual involved, their family, friends and loved ones. We also continue to keep the guests and team members affected by this tragic event in our thoughts.
‘As efforts to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident continue, we remain focused on supporting those affected and maintaining the safe operation of our park and attractions. All other rides and attractions that were scheduled to operate will be available to guests, subject to normal operating conditions and availability.
‘The safety of our guests and team members remains our highest priority. We maintain rigorous inspection, maintenance and operational procedures that meet or exceed industry standards. Our attractions undergo daily, weekly, monthly and annual inspections, and our team members receive extensive training to safely operate and maintain our rides.’
The ongoing investigation into Kariem’s death is being led by Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s Office, with the commission’s president saying they ‘owe it to the Kariem family, to everyone affected by this tragedy, and to the people of our great state to find out exactly what happened.’
