One of La Ronde’s most popular rides is closed (for now, at least).
The Montreal amusement park announced on Tuesday that it has temporarily shut down Goliath, its towering steel roller coaster, so it can be inspected. The decision comes after a person died on Monday following an incident on a similar ride at Six Flags Over Georgia, in the United States.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Six Flags Over Georgia and extend our sincerest condolences to everyone affected,” Carole Bricault, La Ronde’s director of communications, said in an email to Narcity Québec.
Why La Ronde closed Goliath
La Ronde says it closed the ride as a precaution, so its technical teams can carry out a thorough inspection with the coaster’s manufacturer.
“For more than 20 years, Goliath has been a much-loved ride at La Ronde and has welcomed our visitors for millions of safe rides,” the park said. “We are taking this additional time to carefully examine the ride.”
There’s no word yet on whether Goliath will reopen before the season ends on November 1. According to Bricault, it will stay closed until the inspection is complete and the park is certain it can be operated safely.
What happened in Georgia
On Monday, October 12, a person died after falling from Goliath, a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. Several other people were also injured in the incident.
The two rides have a lot in common. Both were built by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, and both opened in 2006. The Georgia version is slightly bigger, standing 61 metres tall with a track length of 1,365 metres, compared to 53 metres and 1,231 metres for the one in Montreal.
Other parks are taking precautions too
La Ronde isn’t the only park closing rides this week. Earlier on Tuesday, Canada’s Wonderland, which is owned by Six Flags, announced it had closed two of its coasters, Behemoth and Leviathan, also as a precaution.
La Ronde was owned by Six Flags until last spring, when it was taken over by U.S. real estate investment trust EPR Properties.
One of La Ronde’s signature rides
Goliath celebrated its 20th season at La Ronde this year, and it has become one of the park’s must-ride attractions, alongside Le Monstre and Le Vampire. It’s also hard to miss from just about anywhere on the Montreal waterfront.
The coaster is known for its 52-metre drop at a 70-degree angle, reaching speeds of around 110 km/h before riders hit a series of nine stomach-dropping hills.
La Ronde is still open on weekends for its annual Fright Fest, which runs until November 1.
This story was inspired by the article “La Ronde ferme temporairement le Goliath pour des vérifications et voici quoi savoir” which was originally published on Narcity.