Fiesta Texas reopens Iron Rattler, adds seatbelts

At Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the Iron Rattler roller coaster is up and running again after it was closed for precautionary reasons following a woman's death last month on a similar ride at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. less At Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the Iron Rattler roller coaster is up and running again after it was closed for precautionary reasons following a woman's death last month on a similar ride at Six Flags Over Texas in ... more Photo: Courtesy Photo Photo: Courtesy Photo Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Fiesta Texas reopens Iron Rattler, adds seatbelts 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Six Flags Fiesta Texas reopened its Iron Rattler roller coaster to the general public Wednesday after closing it last month following the death of a woman riding a similar coaster at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.

The San Antonio theme park, which debuted the Iron Rattler on Memorial Day weekend, issued a statement Thursday thanking guests for their patience during the temporary closure and assured them of the coaster's safety.

Fiesta Texas also added seatbelts to the ride to calm any lingering fears.

“Over the last few weeks, we reconfirmed the Iron Rattler is safe to ride, and to make guests feel even more secure, we added a seat belt restraint to each seat,” the statement reads. “The safety of our guests and employees is our company's highest priority.”

In mid-July, a 52-year-old woman was thrown to her death from the Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas, prompting the closure of that roller coaster and the Iron Rattler. Both feature a hybrid structure made from a combination of wood and steel.

Purvis said corporate engineers, safety experts and maintenance and operations personnel helped re-establish the Iron Rattler's safety. She reiterated the park's position that the closing of the ride was a precautionary measure.

The Iron Rattler is a revamped version of the theme park's original Rattler, a 20-year Fiesta Texas landmark that was retired in August 2012. The Iron Rattler runs on new steel tracks and rails that make the ride steeper and faster than the iconic wooden-structure coaster that preceded it.

As of Thursday, the Texas Giant remained closed, according to the Six Flags website.

An Express-News investigation found that Texas ride owners told state officials that more than 1,800 people were injured on or near amusement rides from 2000 to 2008 — an average of about 230 per year. Most victims suffered only scrapes and bruises, and the official tally of injuries has declined over the years.

But there have been painful mishaps — at least 120 people broke bones; nearly 60 people had teeth chipped or knocked out; and four people suffered amputations.

The Association Press said Texas Department of Insurance records showed Six Flags Over Texas reported 14 injuries involving the Texas Giant roller coaster between April 2008 and April 2013. An insurance department spokesman was not sure how many times those injuries prompted the ride to be shut down for a new inspection.

nmorton@express-news.net

Twitter: @nealtmorton

Express-News archives contributed to this report.