Featured Image Credit: HBO
Topics: US News, Documentaries, HBO
Jess Battison
A teen died after a tragic accident on a horrifying ride at the world's most dangerous amusement park.
Action Park was an infamous water park in New Jersey that opened back in 1978.
But while popular for its wild attractions and slides, six people are known to have died directly due to rides at the park.
Advert
Back in 2020, Class Action Park was released on HBO and explored the ‘legend, legacy and truth behind a place that long ago entered the realm of myth’.
The documentary labels the place ‘an ill-conceived death trap’, claiming there were 110 injuries in just one year (45 of them head injuries), with the availability of alcohol on-site credited with contributing to these huge numbers.
Described as ‘darkly comedic’, the film is ‘told through the eyes of kids that went there and worked there’.
Advert
And kids is the right word to use as the majority of the park’s management team was under 18, with people as young as 14 operating rides - which was against New Jersey law.
One of the six people known to have lost their life because of Action Park is George Larsson Jr.
The 19-year-old’s death is a main focus of the documentary and his family feature.
George died after riding the Alpine Slide and spending a week in a coma.
Advert
Made of concrete, fiberglass and asbestos, the 2,700-foot-long track allowed riders to slide down on small sleds with brake/accelerator sticks.
But, like on many of the sleds, George’s break was broken and led to his sled running off track.
The teen ended up falling into an embankment and hitting his head on a rock – sending him into the coma. It’s said that Alpine Slide alone was responsible for 26 head injuries just between 1984 and 1985.
George was the first person to die there and his family settled with Action Park for $100,000.
After having to stay silent for years, they spoke about the teen in Class Action Park.
Advert
His brother told NJ Advance Media: “He wasn’t out to go there to be a thrill seeker. He was out there to have a good time on rides … You’re not going out to go get killed.”
Action Park was even dubbed ‘Traction Park’ for the many banged heads, bruises, burns and serious injuries it produced.
Class Action Park has a whopping 96 percent on the Tomatometer with critics calling it ‘riveting’ and ‘easily justifies the reason for OSH worker’s existence’.
One added that ‘the wave pool had a death zone’ as another wrote: “This nostalgic trip back to the carefree summers of decades past is a hoot until you realize that people actually died here.”
Advert
Class Action Park is available to stream on NOW.