Hersheypark riders were evacuated from the park’s oldest roller coaster Sunday after a train stopped on the track amid what the park called an “off-ride guest issue.” The park said the stoppage occurred around 5 p.m. and that guests were escorted off the coaster and returned to the station without injury.
“Comet experienced a temporary stoppage on the track, which was caused by an unrelated off-ride guest issue,” a Hersheypark representative told local station CBS 21. “Per our protocols, our teams safely escorted guests off the coaster and back into the station without issue, and the ride was reopened.”
Video captured by onlookers showed the train stopped during one of its first ascents, allowing riders to walk back down the slope, a relatively straightforward descent compared with modern steel coasters that include inversions and steep drops. The Comet, a wooden coaster installed in 1946, features modest drops and "bunny hills" that were novel at the time of its construction and remains a nostalgic attraction amid newer, more extreme rides.
The 75-year-old coaster is surrounded by more recent additions to the park’s lineup, including rides with much steeper elements, such as Skyrush. Park officials said the Comet was reopened after crews completed the evacuation and assured that no guests were harmed.
The stoppage comes during a summer that has included several safety-related incidents at the Pennsylvania amusement complex. Last week, a young child somehow reached the park’s monorail track and had to be rescued; a bystander scaled a concession stand to reach the boy and returned him to safety while the monorail was closed. In July, a 9-year-old girl, identified by authorities as Sophia Subedi, drowned in the park’s wave pool. Emergency responders performed CPR at the scene, but the child was pronounced dead, and her family later described her as a bright, kind third-grader.
Park spokespeople have not provided additional specifics about the off-ride issue that prompted the Comet’s temporary stoppage, and it was unclear whether any visitors involved in that unrelated incident faced charges or further investigation. Hersheypark did not report injuries in connection with Sunday’s evacuation and emphasized that staff followed established safety and evacuation protocols.
Local authorities and park operators often review incidents that involve guest safety; routine inspections and investigations typically follow stoppages of this kind to determine cause and whether any operational changes are needed. Hersheypark’s statement that the ride was reopened indicates crews cleared the track and confirmed it was safe to resume operations.
The Comet remains one of Hersheypark’s enduring attractions, operating through decades of changes to the park’s landscape and safety regulations. Visitors and officials alike continue to watch how the park responds to safety incidents as it balances historic attractions with newer, more extreme rides.