On May 11, 1984, eight teenage visitors were trapped and killed when the Haunted Castle attraction was destroyed by fire. Six Flags Great Adventure and its parent company Six Flags were subsequently indicted for aggravated manslaughter, accused of recklessly causing the deaths by taking inadequate precautions against a fire.
the next day the park opened for business was a record for attendance at the park. Everyone wanting to see where the fire was. I went on to work for six flags there for 3 summers and the fire was talked about often as well as the death on the lightning loops roller coaster. To Six Flags credit massive safety changes were made after both accidents.
record attendance I think is debatable. And even if you did go on saturday the haunted castle was totally not able to be seen andd isolated. They put plywood over the fences that led up to the entrance to the park that backed up right to the castle, and no one from the public could see a damn thing. There were police and officials at the scene taking reports. They did not have anyone within quite a distance of it. That leg of the park was shut down. My brother in law worked there, and he walked passed the Haunted Castle a few days after because it was by were is the employee gate, and employees could have probably done that. I know he did. But the public could see zero. Maybe if you went of Freefall, for the two seconds up in the tower, you could have looked down, but that's debatable too.
@musicaneromitico Regarding the staffing. There were times when the place was full of employees, mostly in the midst of the summer, and times when there were only a few, like on 5/11/84. The only employee that walked around was the "rover", who was supposed to follow behind groups and make sure everyone moved in an orderly fashion. This was sometimes, but not always done.
i used to ask my dad to go on this damn castle and he took my sister instead for some unknown reason. finally when he agreed to take me we saw red smoke and a red sky above it. it had burned down. i was heart broken and horrified. my dad later asked me if i was glad he didnt take me and i swear if i was older i would have put him on his ass. i never understood his favortism towards my sister. anyway, rip to those lost.
@jackbuster oh see I figured they just opened the next day like nothing happened. Well they kinda did, but i think it's disgusting that they opened so soon.. I was constantly reminded of this tragedy in HS, I went to Lane. The student's pictures were in the main lobby & there was a memorial marker in the courtyard
Absolutely unacceptable for a burgeoning theme park at that time! It wasn't disney world but come on - a bunch of trailers cut & pasted together?? Walt would never allow that in any park he was responsible for designing! Those poor souls didn't have a chance.
They did not have any chance, you are right. And I am kind of a dumb ass in that over the years, I have these five haunted castle original and then these ones with the rubble and things. I never think I read the comments. I see this and that comment I see on a haunted castle thing I have up, and it was from 9 years ago. Missed the initial memo here, sorry. Additionally after I made the documentary I had to move on to the other stuff namely my job in Seaside Heights where I was responsible for so many things, as well as that I was reporter for a newspaper on the barrier peninsula. I simply had to move on and I didn't even read the comments ever in some cases. My newspaper expanded into the entirely Ocean County. I ended up having to cover other news stories, but mainly media for Great Adventure.It's is part of the county, I had no choice. It is really funny and petty, but the lady in charge public relations at Great Adventure, Kristen Kocher Seibeneicher her name was, banned me from Kindga Ka media day and complained to my editor at the paper about my documentary and said it was negative. I would ask this woman -and I'd like to say another descriptor, and and lets just say it rhymes with witch, what positive spin could I have possibly put on this disaster and cover up and exploitation? I actually have to say that i tried to be as nice and fair as I could be, but everywhere you turned it was either a cover up, or total lie about what happened at the Haunted Castle or worse. Sorry Kristen, the story is tragedy and get a life. AND i was in the New Jersey Amusement Association and every year we had to go to an event for it and it was Great Adventure in the Garden of Eatin', next to the old Haunted Castle, which were the bumper cars at that time: total dumb move and stupid on whoever was running the place at the time, Each year when I would roll up, because I was very involved in this annual event he people at Great Adventure treated me like dog crap and looked at me like they were planning to murder me. Kristen was the main, and also the general manager, and can't remember his name aside from Mark. To Mark whoever was a mean jerk would be overly kind. The only exception of that group was the head of the fire protection at Great Adventure. His name is Ed Zakar, and he retired now, and I actually spoke to him about something unrelated not too long ago. Ed was unfailingly nice to me and a gentleman. In fact one year, he drove me to car from the picnic area to to the parking lot in an Great Adventure owned vehicle. Everyone else treated me like the Vampire Lestat. Miley Cyrus says, "forget the hater cuz somebody loves you." I was more successful in my career then any of these people, so I had no worry how they were treating or what they might have to think about me. My Haunted Castle stuff I never thought would be seen by anyone. I didn't initially anticipate youtube when it was made, and the videos are very popular over the last whatever amount of years, like 20, it has been. Also, I have a prestigious plaque of achievement for best documentary short from a film festival that is one of the respected in the country for what I did in regards to writing and learning about the DEBACLE, SCANDAL and COMPLETE BS STORY and DISGRACE that is the story of the Haunted Castle. Any haters can gladly take that note into their consideration. I don't think they could ever accomplish that in their lives. thanks Oh, I think the dude Mark was Mark Kane. Whatever, I am not certain, and really dont' care.
The Haunted Castle site is off limits, but it would be enter park, turn right at fountain, make sharp left into the area. It's across from Batman The Dark Knight, and behind the locker area. It's hard to explain now that its inaccessible.
I can say, that area today IS in use and is approachable. But for like ten years after my film it WAS OFF LIMITS. They hated my guts, I used to have to go to the park for amusement industry day and they treated me like shit. But Ed Zakar, the fireman was in charge for decades, was a nice man to me, and a gentleman.
@EpcotFan They actually did block the view from the public, by sequestering the area, and by placing plywood over the fence behind the castle, which backed up to the main ticket gate. As far as closing out of respect, as far as I know, the park closed 4 hours early on the night of the fire, but opened normal time the next day.
@CommercialTVBuff ALL the wooden parts were destroyed. Thank you for your comments. This is a very important topic to me, clearly, and I appreciate the support.
@musicaneromitico Regarding accessing the loft, I am not positive, but I believe it was done via the "portrait" stations, which were part of the facade, and done with the use of a ladder. This was never really part of the issues I was most concerned about. If I would have to recall from memory of what was told to me, this would be my best answer.
I can't believe that the park opened so soon after this tragedy. At least have the decency to give it a few days.. maybe put something up to block the view of the castle from the public...
On May 11, 1984, eight teenage visitors were trapped and killed when the Haunted Castle attraction was destroyed by fire. Six Flags Great Adventure and its parent company Six Flags were subsequently indicted for aggravated manslaughter, accused of recklessly causing the deaths by taking inadequate precautions against a fire.
the next day the park opened for business was a record for attendance at the park. Everyone wanting to see where the fire was. I went on to work for six flags there for 3 summers and the fire was talked about often as well as the death on the lightning loops roller coaster. To Six Flags credit massive safety changes were made after both accidents.
record attendance I think is debatable. And even if you did go on saturday the haunted castle was totally not able to be seen andd isolated. They put plywood over the fences that led up to the entrance to the park that backed up right to the castle, and no one from the public could see a damn thing. There were police and officials at the scene taking reports. They did not have anyone within quite a distance of it. That leg of the park was shut down. My brother in law worked there, and he walked passed the Haunted Castle a few days after because it was by were is the employee gate, and employees could have probably done that. I know he did. But the public could see zero. Maybe if you went of Freefall, for the two seconds up in the tower, you could have looked down, but that's debatable too.
@musicaneromitico Regarding the staffing. There were times when the place was full of employees, mostly in the midst of the summer, and times when there were only a few, like on 5/11/84. The only employee that walked around was the "rover", who was supposed to follow behind groups and make sure everyone moved in an orderly fashion. This was sometimes, but not always done.
i used to ask my dad to go on this damn castle and he took my sister instead for some unknown reason. finally when he agreed to take me we saw red smoke and a red sky above it. it had burned down. i was heart broken and horrified. my dad later asked me if i was glad he didnt take me and i swear if i was older i would have put him on his ass. i never understood his favortism towards my sister. anyway, rip to those lost.
@jackbuster oh see I figured they just opened the next day like nothing happened. Well they kinda did, but i think it's disgusting that they opened so soon..
I was constantly reminded of this tragedy in HS, I went to Lane. The student's pictures were in the main lobby & there was a memorial marker in the courtyard
Absolutely unacceptable for a burgeoning theme park at that time! It wasn't disney world but come on - a bunch of trailers cut & pasted together?? Walt would never allow that in any park he was responsible for designing! Those poor souls didn't have a chance.
This wasn't Disney. On the cheap was the name of the game at Great Adventure. A shit hole.
They did not have any chance, you are right. And I am kind of a dumb ass in that over the years, I have these five haunted castle original and then these ones with the rubble and things. I never think I read the comments. I see this and that comment I see on a haunted castle thing I have up, and it was from 9 years ago. Missed the initial memo here, sorry. Additionally after I made the documentary I had to move on to the other stuff namely my job in Seaside Heights where I was responsible for so many things, as well as that I was reporter for a newspaper on the barrier peninsula. I simply had to move on and I didn't even read the comments ever in some cases. My newspaper expanded into the entirely Ocean County. I ended up having to cover other news stories, but mainly media for Great Adventure.It's is part of the county, I had no choice. It is really funny and petty, but the lady in charge public relations at Great Adventure, Kristen Kocher Seibeneicher her name was, banned me from Kindga Ka media day and complained to my editor at the paper about my documentary and said it was negative. I would ask this woman -and I'd like to say another descriptor, and and lets just say it rhymes with witch, what positive spin could I have possibly put on this disaster and cover up and exploitation? I actually have to say that i tried to be as nice and fair as I could be, but everywhere you turned it was either a cover up, or total lie about what happened at the Haunted Castle or worse. Sorry Kristen, the story is tragedy and get a life. AND i was in the New Jersey Amusement Association and every year we had to go to an event for it and it was Great Adventure in the Garden of Eatin', next to the old Haunted Castle, which were the bumper cars at that time: total dumb move and stupid on whoever was running the place at the time, Each year when I would roll up, because I was very involved in this annual event he people at Great Adventure treated me like dog crap and looked at me like they were planning to murder me. Kristen was the main, and also the general manager, and can't remember his name aside from Mark. To Mark whoever was a mean jerk would be overly kind. The only exception of that group was the head of the fire protection at Great Adventure. His name is Ed Zakar, and he retired now, and I actually spoke to him about something unrelated not too long ago. Ed was unfailingly nice to me and a gentleman. In fact one year, he drove me to car from the picnic area to to the parking lot in an Great Adventure owned vehicle. Everyone else treated me like the Vampire Lestat. Miley Cyrus says, "forget the hater cuz somebody loves you." I was more successful in my career then any of these people, so I had no worry how they were treating or what they might have to think about me. My Haunted Castle stuff I never thought would be seen by anyone. I didn't initially anticipate youtube when it was made, and the videos are very popular over the last whatever amount of years, like 20, it has been. Also, I have a prestigious plaque of achievement for best documentary short from a film festival that is one of the respected in the country for what I did in regards to writing and learning about the DEBACLE, SCANDAL and COMPLETE BS STORY and DISGRACE that is the story of the Haunted Castle. Any haters can gladly take that note into their consideration. I don't think they could ever accomplish that in their lives. thanks Oh, I think the dude Mark was Mark Kane. Whatever, I am not certain, and really dont' care.
The Haunted Castle site is off limits, but it would be enter park, turn right at fountain, make sharp left into the area. It's across from Batman The Dark Knight, and behind the locker area. It's hard to explain now that its inaccessible.
I can say, that area today IS in use and is approachable. But for like ten years after my film it WAS OFF LIMITS. They hated my guts, I used to have to go to the park for amusement industry day and they treated me like shit. But Ed Zakar, the fireman was in charge for decades, was a nice man to me, and a gentleman.
I noticed these trailers have those infamous split rim tires,it's a good thing none of those blew out when this happened.
@EpcotFan They actually did block the view from the public, by sequestering the area, and by placing plywood over the fence behind the castle, which backed up to the main ticket gate. As far as closing out of respect, as far as I know, the park closed 4 hours early on the night of the fire, but opened normal time the next day.
@CommercialTVBuff ALL the wooden parts were destroyed. Thank you for your comments. This is a very important topic to me, clearly, and I appreciate the support.
@musicaneromitico Regarding accessing the loft, I am not positive, but I believe it was done via the "portrait" stations, which were part of the facade, and done with the use of a ladder. This was never really part of the issues I was most concerned about. If I would have to recall from memory of what was told to me, this would be my best answer.
where was the location of the haunted castle
wow... Makes me sad for those who were there.
I can't believe that the park opened so soon after this tragedy. At least have the decency to give it a few days.. maybe put something up to block the view of the castle from the public...
@greenrosetv And to think, 15 or so years later they put the BUMPER CARS on the very spot!