Guests heading to Hersheypark this weekend will find Candymonium running again. The Pennsylvania theme park has lifted the closure it placed on the coaster after a fatal ejection on a similar ride in Georgia, saying multiple inspections found the ride safe to operate.
Why Candymonium Went Dark
On October 12, 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta died after being “ejected” from his seat on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. According to police, public souvenir photos, and eyewitnesses, the educator and IT professional hit other passengers and ride infrastructure before landing near a building used for Fright Fest, the park's Halloween event. He had come to the park with his family.
Passengers reportedly screamed for operators as the train returned to the station, and some had blood on them. Employees emergency-stopped the ride and evacuated riders on the second train, which was still out on the track.
Goliath remains closed while authorities investigate. Other coasters built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) with the same clamshell-style restraints are also offline at Six Flags, Kings Island, Canada's Wonderland, and Carowinds. Parks outside the Six Flags family also shut down comparable rides, including Mako at SeaWorld Orlando and Candymonium at Hersheypark.
Backup retractable seatbelts have been added to several of these coasters, among them Diamondback at Kings Island, Fury 325 at Carowinds, and Candymonium. Goliath had no seatbelt beyond its clamshell restraint.
What Hersheypark Said Last Week
Hersheypark announced that Candymonium would reopen on Friday, October 16, when the park continues its weekend-only operating schedule. The park gave ABC27 this statement:
“Candymonium plans to operate when Hersheypark opens to the public on Friday, October 16. Our thoughts remain with the guest's family and everyone affected by Monday's incident at Six Flags Over Georgia. Before making this decision, we had Candymonium thoroughly inspected. Our ride inspection team, which includes state-certified ride inspectors, and an independent external ride safety inspector each confirmed that the ride is operating as intended and that Candymonium remains safe to operate. We have also been in contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which oversees Amusement Park operations in the Commonwealth regarding our decision to operate the attraction. We also consulted with the ride's manufacturer. Based on the information presently available, the manufacturer has not identified an engineering basis to recommend shutting down similarly designed coasters solely because of the incident in Georgia. Candymonium was custom-built to its own specifications, with multiple redundant safety systems, including a seatbelt at every seat in addition to the lap restraint. Safety is the foundation of everything we do, and we take that responsibility seriously.”
What Comes Next
Investigators are still examining what happened on Goliath, and many similar rides across North America remain closed in the meantime. Hersheypark's decision rests on its own inspections and its consultation with the state and the manufacturer. Guests planning any theme park visit should check the park's hours and ride status before they go.
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