Coney Island's famed roller coaster "Cyclone" was shut down indefinitely after it malfunctioned and came to stop with riders onboard last week.
Luna Park's 97-year-old wooden roller coaster was "on its ascent on Thursday afternoon, when the ride operators took it out of service due to a crack on the chain sprocket located in the ride’s motor room," New York City's Department of Buildings said in a statement to USA TODAY Monday.
Several riders were removed from the roller coaster and no injuries were reported, the department said.
A video of the incident posted to social media shows park workers carefully escorting a rider down the tracks.
Luna Park issued violations
Inspectors with the Department of Building (DOB) were at the scene Friday and issued the owners of Luna Park "violations for the damaged equipment and for failure to immediately notify the department about the incident," the statement said.
"The 'Cyclone' is currently out of service, and will remain out of service until necessary repairs are completed by the park operators," DOB spokesperson David Maggiotto said, adding the park can schedule an inspection once the repairs are completed.
"During that inspection, if we determine that the ride is safe to operate, Luna Park can return the ride to service," Maggiotto said.
'Safety is our number one priority,' says roller coaster management
Passengers ride the Cyclone rollercoaster on the first day of the Coney Island parks reopening, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, U.S., April 9, 2021. Brendan McDermid
Luna Park, meanwhile, also announced the ride was "temporarily closed due to a mechanical problem that developed on August 22, 2024," and is currently undergoing repairs.
"At Luna Park in Coney Island, safety is our number one priority and ride maintenance, and thorough testing happens daily before Luna Park opens and throughout the day as necessary," a statement posted to their website said . "The Coney Island 'Cyclone' is a 97-year-old roller coaster that is meticulously maintained and tested daily."
"We will reopen the Cyclone roller coaster when the repair is complete, and the ride passes its DOB inspection," the statement added.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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