Parque Warner Madrid is facing scrutiny after a 49-year-old man suffered serious injuries aboard its Batman Gotham City Escape roller coaster on August 29, 2026. The rider suffered an open fracture to his left leg and a closed fracture to his right leg and was evacuated by helicopter to Madrid’s Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Early reports described the event as a possible roller-coaster malfunction, but investigators have not established that the ride itself failed. Spanish reporting on August 30 said the Guardia Civil was preliminarily investigating whether the passenger lost consciousness during the ride and was subsequently injured, while investigators had not found an initial failure involving the restraint harness or other safety systems. The Batman coaster remained closed while Parque Warner and authorities investigated the accident. [RTVE] [Telemadrid] [El País]
Man Seriously Injured On Batman Gotham City Escape
The accident occurred on August 29 at Parque Warner Madrid in San Martín de la Vega. Emergency services were called to Batman Gotham City Escape during the afternoon after a passenger was seriously injured. [Europa Press]
The injured rider was a 49-year-old man. Madrid emergency officials said he suffered an open fracture to his left leg and a closed fracture to his right leg. [Cadena SER]
Emergency personnel treated and stabilized him inside the theme park. A medical helicopter then transported him to Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid. [RTVE]
Rider Reportedly Became Trapped During The Incident
Witnesses described the injured man as becoming trapped around the front portion of the roller-coaster train. People waiting near the attraction told Telemadrid that they heard calls for help and went toward the scene. [Telemadrid]
One witness described the man as being upside down. Witnesses also said he appeared trapped around the first two rows of the train while assistance was being organized. [Telemadrid]
Early Reports Describe The Rider Sliding From His Seat
El País reported witness accounts that the man appeared to slide from his normal seated position and became caught between portions of the train. The account emerged before investigators had established the precise sequence of events. [El País]
The unusual circumstances prompted immediate questions about whether the ride’s restraint system had malfunctioned. Police and Parque Warner began examining the attraction after the accident. [Telemadrid]
Guardia Civil Investigates Whether The Rider Fainted
By August 30, investigators were examining whether the man lost consciousness during the ride. Telemadrid reported that the leading investigative hypothesis was that the rider fainted and then suffered repeated impacts during the coaster’s course. [Telemadrid]
The Judicial Police unit of the Guardia Civil and Parque Warner were investigating the circumstances. The inquiry was continuing while the injured man remained hospitalized. [El Diario de Madrid]
Investigators Initially Find No Harness Failure
The Guardia Civil had not found evidence of a restraint-harness failure in its preliminary investigation as of August 30. Telemadrid reported that investigators were for the time being ruling out a failure involving the harness or the ride’s safety measures. [Telemadrid]
That finding shifted attention away from initial speculation that the passenger had simply fallen out because a restraint failed. The investigation continued into exactly how he sustained the fractures. [La Voz del Sur]
Parque Warner Stops The Roller Coaster
Parque Warner said Batman Gotham City Escape was stopped immediately after the incident. The park said its emergency procedures were activated and emergency personnel were given access to the injured visitor. [Telecinco]
The park announced that the roller coaster would remain closed while the incident was reviewed with authorities. [RTVE]
Emergency Helicopter Lands Inside Parque Warner
The seriousness of the injuries required an emergency helicopter to enter the theme-park grounds. Medical teams treated the rider before flying him to the hospital. [El País]
Guardia Civil and local police personnel also responded to the park. [Cadena SER]
Other Guests Were Cleared From The Area
Parque Warner personnel evacuated visitors from the immediate area surrounding the coaster. El País reported that nearby shops and restaurants were also closed while emergency crews dealt with the incident. [El País]
The remainder of Parque Warner continued operating. Batman Gotham City Escape was the attraction taken out of service while authorities investigated. [People]
Witnesses Criticize The Park’s Response
Some visitors complained about confusion immediately after the accident. Witnesses interviewed by Spanish media described uncertainty about what had happened and said visitors received little information while the emergency response was underway. [El País]
Telemadrid reported that some visitors themselves initially approached the injured man after hearing cries for assistance. [Telemadrid]
The Injured Man Remains Hospitalized
The rider remained hospitalized in serious condition on August 30. He continued receiving treatment at Hospital 12 de Octubre for fractures to both legs. [Telemadrid]
Local reporting said his injuries were serious but his life was not believed to be in immediate danger. [MiraCorredor]
Batman Gotham City Escape Opened In 2023
Batman Gotham City Escape is one of Parque Warner Madrid’s flagship attractions. The roller coaster opened in spring 2023 following an investment of more than €20 million. [RTVE]
It was promoted as Spain’s first multi-launch roller coaster. Its trains are accelerated multiple times using electromagnetic propulsion rather than relying exclusively on a traditional lift hill. [Europa Press]
The Coaster Reaches More Than 100 KM/H
Batman Gotham City Escape reaches speeds of approximately 104 kilometers per hour. [RTVE]
The ride reaches a maximum height of 45 meters. Its signature drop descends at an angle of approximately 98 degrees. [Cadena SER]
The approximately 1,010-meter course contains four inversions and is completed in less than two minutes. [RTVE]
The Attraction Was Built By Intamin
Batman Gotham City Escape was manufactured by Swiss amusement-ride company Intamin. The company is one of the world’s major designers and manufacturers of roller coasters and other amusement attractions. [RTVE]
The attraction uses Intamin’s multi-launch technology and electromagnetic propulsion system. [RTVE]
Parque Warner Had A Fatal Ride Accident In 2005
Parque Warner experienced a fatal amusement-ride accident more than two decades before the Batman incident. In 2005, a visitor died after an accident involving a different attraction at the Madrid theme park. [El País]
The 2005 case involved a separate attraction and is not part of the investigation into Batman Gotham City Escape. Its history resurfaced in Spanish and international coverage after the August 2026 accident. [New York Post]
Batman Gotham City Escape Remains Closed During Investigation
The coaster remained closed on August 30, the day after the accident. Parque Warner itself otherwise continued operating normally. [Telemadrid]
Parque Warner said the attraction would remain closed while it reviewed the incident in coordination with authorities. [Telecinco]
One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.