- A 19-story roller-coaster at Six Flags malfunctioned on Thursday, resulting in multiple injuries.
- Six Flags confirmed the incident to Insider and says the ride is now closed for inspection.
- The company was at the center of controversy recently after CEO Selim Bassoul called the parks "daycare for teenagers."
A roller-coaster at a Six Flags amusement park in New Jersey malfunctioned on Thursday evening, injuring multiple riders, including 5 who were treated at a nearby hospital, according to the amusement park.
The incident, which occurred towards the end of the El Toro roller-coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure Park, according to NBC News, resulted in reported "back pain and minor injuries" from 13 riders, Six Flags confirmed to Insider.
El Toro is a wooden roller-coaster that reaches a peak of nearly 19 stories and has an initial drop of 176 feet at 70 miles per hour, according to Six Flags' website.
In a statement to Insider, a Six Flags spokesperson said the ride is now closed for inspection.
"The ride completed its normal cycle and all guests exited the ride without need of assistance. The ride will remain closed for inspection. Any maintenance and repairs necessary will be completed and the ride will be re-inspected by our engineers, maintenance professionals, our 3rd party independent safety inspectors and the state of NJ prior to re-opening," the spokesperson said.
Six Flags stock fell by more than 6% as of Friday afternoon trading.
Six Flags was at the center of controversy earlier this month when CEO Selim Bassoul told investors on a call that heavy discounting turned Six Flag parks into "a daycare center for teenagers."