World’s once-tallest and fastest rollercoaster collapses in ‘implosion’

A rollercoaster that was once the tallest and fastest in the world has been torn down to make way for new rides. Kingda Ka “imploded” at ‘s Six Flags Great Adventure park on Friday morning ahead of its scheduled demolition.

Local authorities in Ocean County warned residents in a Facebook post they may hear a “serious of rapid explosions” coming from the park between 9am and 10am local time and to take precautions for people and pets who are sensitive to loud noises. An aerial recording shows the giant green and yellow structure, which is in the shape of a space rocket, buckling at its base when a number of explosions go off. The towering structure then leads to one side before collapsing into a heap of metal bars.

Smoke and dust billows from the ground quickly cover the area, which is located next to a car park. There is no sound to the recording.

Six Flags retired the coaster to make way for new rides, the company said late last year. When it opened in 2005, it was both the tallest and fastest coaster in the worls, launching riders to a top speed of 127mph.

Kingda Ka held its height record through its lifeltime but the speed record was broken by Formula Rossa, a coaster at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. The coaster opening in 2010 and boasts a top speed of 148mph.

Six Flags said Kingda Ka carried more than 12 million riders since it opened two decades ago. The company said the Twister and Parachute Tower rides and the Sky Way, an elevated cable car, were also being removed from the park.

The park will debut its long-awaited coaster called The Flash: Vertical Velocity this year, which would be the world’s first super boomerang roller coaster. The company also says a “multi-world-record-breaking launch roller coaster” will open in 2026.