Six Flags Over Georgia employee killed by passing coaster train in restricted area

Could this have happened because the employee wasn't told NOT to go into a restricted area? He didn't work in the rides department and maybe he thought that HE was allowed in the "low zone" and generial guests where not. Maybe he thought that the signs didn't pertain to him. He was trained to do something else (sweep, empty trash cans, clean restrooms ect.), not to run rides. Perhaps the mistake was made by the deceased, or it was the parks fault for not telling him that one small but important rule.

It is a very unfortunate incedent and my prayers include his friends, family. and co-workers. Also I feel bad for the girl who "kicked" him. *** This post was edited by dexter on 5/28/2002. ***

Jephry, while I do recognize the difference between employees and guests, I make no distinction for anyone entering a "lock-out area" be they guests, maintenance, ride-ops, or even the park manager.....for safety's sake.....

I guess it just amazes me that people see a coaster obviously HANGING below the track, and then go to walk under the track while there are trains running.... *** This post was edited by rollergator on 5/28/2002. ***

Does anyone know if they sent out a train before the screaming girl came into the station? I can only imagine that the stacked train only moved into the station after a full train left it. Screaming wouldnt be much cause for immediate response due to the rides nature. Then, once the ride-ops see the girl im sure they would have ran to her and maybe the other train ran through the ride. I can only imagine how bad it would be to fly by a dead body laying on the rocks on the ground. How sad this is. The girl will be permanently traumatized and i hope her and the and the family of the worker deal with this ok.

Ok, let me explain myself. Yes, I was very angry last night, so angry in fact that I was in the middle of what I thought was a full-blown heart attack. I spent all of last night in the emergency room. It had nothing to do with people opinions, and everything to do with work stress that had become unbearable.

I appreciate differening points of view, hence my participation on this site. However, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to have rational conversation with someone who is 15 years old (half my age). As much as we say that age shouldn't matter, it does in matters of world experience, and work experience. On the Coaster Zombie trip to Texas last week, our youngest member was 26. A teenager would have had a very hard time fitting in to our group.

When you are away for a whole week, and you're not checking Coasterbuzz twice a day, you suddenly realize that many of the things that are discussed on this site really aren't important anymore. B&M vs. Intamin? Who cares. They're both fun!
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2002, the year the Six Flags America bashing stops.

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Could this have happened because the employee wasn't told NOT to go into a restricted area?

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Six Flags makes it very clear to all employees that lock-out areas are there for a reason. That's a major thing, even for parking lot attendants...

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"Getting on Iron Wolf is kind of like going in a blender and pressing PUREE"

--Ever lying in wait for someone to say something stupid.

I was a PKI ride op/supervisor for two years and I know lockout areas were ingrained into our heads as completely off limits, and we would never dream of entering into one unless we were lockout trained and properly locked out the ride. It always nearly gave us a heart attack when some guest disregarding posted caution signs would jump over our fence into lockout, and everyone would race to the nearest e-stop. However, I don't know what training is like for employees in other areas (other than rides). Maybe it is not emphasized as much as it should be for them. Still, I agree that common sense would tell you otherwise, but since I've seen guests jump fences into lock out areas, I know some people think it's no big deal because they think they can simply avoid the incoming train, and be in and out before it ever gets there (don't realize how fast they go!). I'd guess this man thought the same way, and was either ignoring his training, or it hadn't been empahsized enough. Procedures for retrieving lost articles, or anything that might involve entering into a lock out area, should definitely be well known by anybody who may encounter a guest asking them to do so.

I happened to be there that Sunday. We were told by park security that the area where BTR is was closed due to a water main break. As the day progressed we found out what had happened. It is very sad when something like this happens.

That same day, while waiting in line for SUF, we witnessed a rider lose what looked like a wallet from the pretzel loop area of the ride. Another guest waiting in line in front of us hopped the fence to retrieve the wallet for that person. I couldn't believe it.

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Ridden 89 coasters so far. 29 were wood. *** This post was edited by Crazy4Airtime on 6/5/2002. ***

I think that what ahppen was wronge but so the parks falut they should of had peopel on guard wacthing for kids who dont listen. its not comlpletly there fualt but somewhat of it. i think that they should close down all rollar coaster who knows who else will get killed.i know what peopels feel like when something about to hit u and u dont move it like ur still in shock from even thinking something would come to hit so ur frozen . im so sorry for the persons famliy and so but why was he even in that area