Popular Roller Coaster Struck by Lightning in Connecticut

Photo via YouTube

Lake Compounce, a popular amusement park in Connecticut, recently saw one of its top roller coasters out of service after being struck by lightning last week.

Steve Collins of the Bristol Press reports that the Boulder Dash roller coaster was struck by lightning Saturday night, and the surge of electricity did damage to the ride’s drive and electronics, according to Park Manager Jerry Brick.

No passengers were on the roller coaster at the time it was struck by lightning.

Park officials ordered parts for the ride that were delivered on Tuesday, but the repairs have not gone as planned. While Lake Compounce hoped Boulder Dash would only be down for a short time, there is now no specific time table for a return to service.

Lake Compounce spokesperson Sara Frias told WFSB.com, “In order to repair Boulder Dash, we're in the testing phase, they're doing a lot of testing, trouble shooting, just to get to the bottom of what the problem is and we're anticipating that the ride can be re-opened in the very near future.”

Boulder Dash is an incredibly popular ride that was built in 2000 right into the side of a mountain. The Bristol roller coaster features 4,672 feet of track, a 115 feet drop and reaches a top speed of 60 miles per hour.

As the top attraction at Lake Compounce, Boulder Dash has been named to Amusement Today’s annual list of top roller coasters every year since it was built. The award-winning coaster is a staple of the region, and guests will be excited to get the attraction back to fully operational.

Watch a point-of-view ride on Boulder Dash via CoasterForce on YouTube:

Follow @Donald_Wood