Deadly Fun, Part 3: Pennsylvania Amusement Park Fatalities
Hersheypark's SuperDooperLooper (Credit: MexicanLlama400/Coasterpedia) All this month we've been exploring Pennsylvania amusement parks, some still popular and others long forgotten, and the dark tragedies that unfolded there. Of course, while every preventable death is a tragedy by definition, there is something particularly sad about dying amid throngs of smiles and laughter, and these stories serve as a stark reminder of the fickle, delicate and unpredictable nature of life and just how quickly it can be taken from us. And yet, we can't also help but marvel at just how rare these tragedies are, considering the millions of visitors who've passed through the gates of the following parks, some of which have been in operation for over a century. Hersheypark (Dauphin County) Hersheypark has been in the news a lot in recent years, and not always for the best reasons. In July of 2025 a child drowned in the park's wave pool in full view of lifeguards, while the following...
