Officials did not confirm how the person died, nor how the others were injured or their medical conditions after the incident at Six Flags Over Georgia, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northwest of Atlanta.
Cobb County Police Department major crimes unit detectives are investigating.
Attractions at the parks that are similar to the coaster in Austell, Georgia, were closed “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a Six Flags Entertainment Corporation spokesperson, who said staff members and local authorities responded immediately and the park is cooperating with the investigation.
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,” the spokesperson said, adding that the company is providing support to guests and staff who were impacted.
Authorities and Six Flags did not identify the roller coaster. However, local TV stations showed video of passengers being evacuated from the Goliath coaster.
Goliath, which was opened in 2006, reaches a top speed of 70 mph with a height of 200 feet, according to the park’s website.
During about 3 1/2 minutes, riders “navigate through razor-sharp turns and soar over colossal hills,” the website says.
Lisa Cupid, Cobb County Board of Commissioners chairwoman, said next of kin of the deceased person have been notified.
“I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today, and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one,” Cupid said. “We are all grappling with how something so devastating could happen at a place that has given generations of families such happy memories.”
The park is a major part of the county’s tourism and brings in visitors from across the Southeast, Cupid said.
