The Millennium Force roller coaster at the Cedar Point theme park in Ohio, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., shut down Friday after a part fell off one of its vehicles.
In a statement to Cleveland’s WKYC, park officials said that “a small bracket became dislodged from a ride vehicle and landed in a guest area. No guests or team members were struck, and no injuries were reported. The ride was immediately taken out of service in accordance with established protocols and will remain closed pending our internal review and additional state inspection to ensure safety before reopening to the public.”
The coaster debuted at the Sandusky, Ohio, park, 51 miles west of Cleveland, in 2000. The park describes it as the world’s “first giga-coaster,” and at 310 feet high and with speeds of up to 93 mph, it set height and speed records at the time.
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Cedar Point President Colleen Brady said on social media Friday that “our guests and team members are what make this park so special, and their safety will always be our highest priority. We remain committed to making safety the focus of everything we do, every day.”
The Millennium Force coaster was not among the nine rides shut down at Six Flags-run parks across North America following the death of Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday.
The ride in that incident and the nine others that paused operation afterward are made by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard.
Millennium Force is produced by Liechtenstein-based Intamin.
In a separate statement online addressing the Six Flags Over Georgia incident, Ms. Brady said that “we are deeply saddened by the recent incident at Six Flags Over Georgia. … Each year, millions of guests safely enjoy rides and attractions at Six Flags parks. While serious incidents of this nature are exceedingly rare, we never take responsibility to our guests for granted and remain committed to continuously strengthening our operations and safety practices.”
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