Roller Coaster Reopening at Six Flags Texas After Woman's Tragic Death (VIDEO)
A roller coaster reopening will take place this weekend at Six Flags Texas, almost two months after a woman fell out of the ride and plummeted to her death in a tragic accident.
In the aftermath of the incident the ride was immediately closed down, and new safety measures have been implemented to the rollercoaster for its reopening, according to a statement released Tuesday.
Among the new safety measures are redesigned restraint bar pads, as well as new seat belts and a coaster seat placed at the entrance of the ride so that visitors can test their fitting in the seat before they go in line for the ride.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The measures have been implemented after July 19's accident when Rosa Esparza fell out of a car and plummeted to her death.
The announcement that the ride will be reopening has been a mixed event; as park owners released a statement, the victim's family also filed a lawsuit for wrongful death on Tuesday, alleging that Six Flags had been negligent and responsible for Esparza's death.
The suit describes how Esparza's daughter heard screams behind her as she was in the ride, and as she turned back she saw her mother being thrown out from the ride to her death.
Esparza was thrown from her seat and landed on the metal roofing of a tunnel below, receiving various traumatic injuries that resulted in her tragic death.
The lawsuit says, "As Rosa Esparza's tragic death starkly illustrates, errors on the part of the Six Flags Defendants turned a thrilling illusion into a nightmarish reality.
Customers of the park expect mock scares and delighted screams as they ride the Texas Giant roller-coaster, but they certainly do not expect to be placed in any real danger, whatsoever."
In a statement released Tuesday, Six Flags officials confirmed that an investigation had found that there had been no mechanical failure on the ride.
"Due to litigation, the company is not releasing any further information about the outcome of the investigation," the statement said.
