Magic Mountain to Bolster Emergency Procedures

Violence at Six Flags Magic Mountain in mid-April has prompted city and law enforcement officials to examine emergency procedures, such as ways to quickly evacuate the amusement park.

Authorities also hope to install a telephone hot line to provide recorded information after an emergency, and they plan to establish an advisory group to review emergency procedures every six months.

City officials said they were frustrated by the handling of the April 17 disturbances, when hundreds of youths rampaged through the amusement park, vandalizing nearby businesses and causing a four-mile traffic jam on the adjacent Golden State Freeway.

Sheriff Sherman Block attributed the violence to poor planning by the park, possible gang activity, the presence of a popular rap group and relief over the verdicts handed down in the Rodney G. King beating trial earlier that day.

Magic Mountain officials said at the time that hundreds of patrons, mostly teen-agers, were turned away by early afternoon because the park had reached its occupancy limit. Sales of season passes, in addition to the daily passes, make it possible for the park to oversell admission tickets, park officials said at the time.