Six Flags Great Adventure Haunted Castle Fire Part 1 of 5

[@loulelea]

Two of the people were from Passaic County Technical and Vocational HS. They were both in Electrinic shop with me. I’m writing this with tears. Never saw this video until 2022 but it still has the emotions that the class and school shared that year. We were the graduating class and both Nick Caiaza and Joseph Beyrudy were exceptional students with a great future lost. Graduation was hard and not the celebration it was supposed to be for many of us. It’s crazy that 38 years later I’m still emotional about it. Thanks Facebook for the post but somehow I wish I did not find this video. I still have the newspaper article in my yearbook. Rip to all who have had their life unnecessarily taken so young.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

I was unsure what school they went to. I knew it was Victory Christian and Franklin K.Lane, but not Passaic County Vocs

[@drpeterjamessmith]

It is normal to be emotional over a tragedy like this.

[@loulelea]

@@drpeterjamessmith yes I shared this with my buddy Ray who told me that he was supposed to cut class that day and join them. I was not aware that they met some girls there or actually any thing other than someone accidentally lit the place with a lighter. It makes sense and surprised it did not happen sooner being that many probably lite lighter to see in the dark. It was an unnecessary tragedy that led to many changes in building codes.

[@loulelea]

@@drpeterjamessmith thank you! For some reason it’s like it happened yesterday. What inspired you to produce the video?

[@stormgaming1208]

I was in line, waiting for that damn haunted house a few minutes before the fire started. You could hear the screaming coming from both inside and outside. I could smell the smoke, I realized my friend was in there, that was the day I started believing in god. I hugged my friend for so long when I found her. Years later and I’m married to her, two kids and a husky. I still think about how if the park had had fire extinguishers and teams prepared to help in case anything needed to be done. May all the victims Rest In peace.

[@loulelea]

So glad to hear your friend made it out. I know the tragedy changed your life that day and am happy to hear your now sharing your life with that special person that survived.

[@nepatz54]

My wife (she was very young) and her father just escaped the fire. They were toward the front of the line when the smoke started to chase them. She says that it was jammed in the middle at some point and they managed to get around minutes before it started. According to my father in-law, the interior was a foamy material and dark and dim inside with NO exit signs. Some areas had obstructions in front of doors that may or may not have led to the outside. Very loud and chaotic once it started and fire spread quickly.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

Very interesting story. I'd love to hear what your father has to say.

[@glenloy2309]

I was 13 and on the ride right next to the haunted castle i still think of this day. I remember hearing the people who were stuck inside, its something i will never forget it was horrible. Im 51 now and too this day i havent stepped foot in a haunted house since that day.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

Hi. I don't totally doubt your tale, but they had to be near one of the doorways, probably the entrance. I know there was a group just entering or just slightly into the trailers behind the 9 in Suzette's group who were absolutely in the middle with no way out, I have heard something along the lines of what you are saying, and those people were terrified for sure but all made it out. And I can almost 100 percent agree that there were doors that could have been exits or looked like they could be that were rendered inoperable by many accounts. Do you have the names. I could match them up with the accounts because there were survivors other than Suzette per se, but not anywhere near where the doomed group was located between hunchback and phantom.

[@nepatz54]

But since my initial post I’ve been divorced from my wife that said she was in it…. Take it with a grain of salt, she was known to lie lol

[@collegeman1988]

Polyurethane foam also caused the deaths of 100 people at The Station Nightclub fire of 2003. Polyurethane foam, which is as flammable as gasoline, was used as soundproofing behind the stage at the nightclub which pyrotechnic gerbs lit the foam afire and turned the club into a death trap for people who weren’t out in 90 seconds.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

That is the truth beyond a shadow of a doubt. I saw the footage so many times and it is horrifying.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

I felt so sorry for the people who were stacked alive atop of each other at the front door. The pyrotechnics went off and the foam was instantly on fire. There would have to really stop it. If there were sprinklers, they might be different. No one ever died in a sprinklered building. But the smoke alarms go off and its bedlam in a few seconds. And I love Great White, and Once Bitten Twice Shy.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

I have not seen that horrific fire footage in years. I think they are like the pictures of Tracey Gold dying nearly from anorexia: scrubbed from the internet. Not sure.

[@jadedheartsz]

@@drpeterjamessmith Yeah the asshole owners of the Station were too cheap to get proper non-flammable insulation and the crazy thing is there's footage out there of several other bands playing in the club using pyro and somehow it didn't go up in flames then, Great White just got really unlucky(and reportedly the pyro wasn't even their idea, their tour manager was the one that insisted on the band using it which was why he was the one to spend time in prison. The band had actually had to cancel a few gigs previously due to the stages being too small to accommodate their use of pyro).

[@christopherprinsell463]

This documentary means everything to me. It’s an integral part of my life. As a young boy obsessed with roller coasters and my home park of Great Adventure, I stumbled upon this documentary after my best friend’s mother, Mary, told me about this tragedy and how she was there on that day. I would spend hours watching this documentary over and over as a child. It is one of the happiest and most beautiful memories I have, and it has provided me with infinite comfort and awe throughout the years of my life. The Haunted Castle Fire is a lifelong passion of mine. The atmosphere of mystery and dread you managed to create with such simple tools is remarkable. I plan on framing the opening still, “Doorway to Hell?”, in my room. I actually had it as my profile picture on Tumblr for years. Even now, at 26, when I go to great adventure, I always think about that day. Where the castle once stood, and everything that happened. Peter, I hope you’re able to read this. I hope you know just how special this film is, and how sacred it is to me.

[@Lyubov91]

I visited the Haunted Castle in 1982, two years before its demise, and it was one of the most frightening experiences of my life! Not because it was a haunted house, but because my friend and I almost couldn't find our way out! It was just one big maze, and I remember that I wanted to get out of there badly because I was SO scared, but I couldn't because the fire exits were all chained shut...creepy.

[@Lyubov91]

I visited the Haunted Castle two years before it burned down. It was a scary place, absolutely pitch black inside, and you couldn't see a thing. I almost had a panic attack while I was in there because I thought I'd never make it out. This was two years before the fire.

[@karltusing5841]

I was thinking of these victims last night, May 13, as I was watching the PA flags at half-mast at the Phillies game for my birthday. in 1984, my youth group took me to Great Adventure for my birthday - happened to be May 12. It was a very sad being there. You could smell the fire, still see some smoldering as well as numerous news choppers above. Feeling sad in a place that is supposed to be happy - is a weird experience. I couldn't get into having fun, but I did spend the time waiting in lines, praying for those families.

[@bigben1986]

it's sad how they still had the park opened the next day!!!!!!!!!!! smh God bless you!

[@jadedheartsz]

@@bigben1986 and people said the owner of Action Park was callous but the owners of GA went beyond the pale.

[@cybereye824]

I was in the Castle 30min before the fire. I'm 45yrs old, me and my 2 friends were in the Castle for about 45min. scaring girls in the "cavern" like we always did. We left to go to the "Golden Earring" concert, 1 song in, looked back and saw the smoke. I knew every nook in that place leading up to the fire. We prob were one of the reasons for some doors being locked, cause' we would sneak smokes outside one of the doors. I know exactly what was locked, and open that night. And i know what was, and wasn't working that night, because we stayed in there so long. We did that every visit that season, and the previous season even. I'm going to watch this, and see how accurate it is, and "fact check" it. I am an eye witness, to the inside of the castle that night. I remember it well. I'm still a passholder at the park now even. I will let you know exactly what is accurate and not on this documentry. If the maker of it want's to contact me, feel free. I am a 100% legit eye witness. I used my Pass the night of the fire even, maybe it can researched.

[@angelicareal7381]

Whenever I think of great adventure I can't help but think of this tragedy as well. I may not have been alive yet when it happened but it still saddens me that these kids basically died for nothing. Sure there were new safety measures put in place after but only because people died. I wish it didn't have to take for somebody to die for change to take place because then the damage has already been done. I think of all the victims often and whenever I visit great adventure I make a silent prayer for them before entering the park. RIP to all the victims, you will always have a special place in my heart.

[@jamesnolan9642]

I have watched this many times and it never gets old. So tragic that people go to have fun and I for one go to great adventure many times and always think about those poor kids and while I'm riding nitro I always look down to where auto bumper cars sit on the site of the castle.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

Thanks. Now Cyborg is on top of the site.

[@frankreading793]

A friend of mines brother was standing in line when the tragedy occurred on Friday May 11 1984. I was a season pass holder from 1979-81 and recall how dark and narrow this was going through it many times myself.

[@elchicho25]

wow I was at the Haunted Castle the day BEFORE it burnt down.. some parts were pitch black.. and I remember 1 of the guests turning on his lighter to see where he was going..

[@thegraylink8269]

elchicho25 I just want to see what it looked like Inside, was it just pitch black were there any lights in there for you to at least see where you were going ?

[@Zzzk23]

I was talking to my mom about this. I like how empathic you were about the victims. You didn't try to turn it into a "shock value," story, but rather talked about their stories, the technicality behind the blocked exits, why sprinklers were missing, etc. Great work,

[@JCBro-yg8vd]

And the saddest thing about this disaster is, Six Flags learned *NOTHING* from it. It would take the Lightning Loops death for them to realize that guest safety and quality employee training should always be top priorities.

[@jadedheartsz]

yeah it's funny how people fearmongered over Action Park when Great Adventure killed more people and it's deaths were entirely 100% due to negligence.

[@MedPig]

I was working at Great Adventure as an EMT in the First Aid department. I wound up fighting the fire, as anyone who was getting out, had gotten out by the time I arrived. Sad night for all involved.

[@opticpredator12]

I also was in the haunted castle before the fire. I never liked it, one actor grabbed my shirt and I ran out of there as fast as I could. I never saw any pictures of the victims. I do remember the memorial and then it disappearing. I think that is a tragedy how they disrespect the poor kids who died. May they rest in peace.

[@Strimbles]

I was 13 yrs old and was there the day it burned down. The crazy thing is my friends and I were in and out of the haunted castle at least 5 times, as we were being naughty little boys laughing and making fun of the people in costumes who would pop out the walls to scare you. We left at 4-5pm... next day in the papers we read it had burned down and people died!!!! Damn we were lucky, missed it by just a couple hours.

[@TalonRider]

Very interesting documentary. I really liked the 3D animation of the layout of the castle.

[@Riconet300]

Very well done and, informative. It brought back memories of that day and details I never knew. My heart goes out to all the families involved.

[@KryllKiller]

This is great for a low budget documentary. 10/10.

[@NYKID10014]

JesseJames0n very low

[@alwayscoca-cola6487]

I can’t stop watching this multiple times

[@drpeterjamessmith]

Thank you. I just told off some moron who said it was low quality. I am thinking "hello? what do you expect from a beginner at the time?

[@scottbriggs691]

I haven't watched the whole docu. yet, I plan to, but anyway kiddies, this is a date that lives in infamy for me, and my whole 1984 junior high class of Division Ave. High School Levittown NY L.I., since we were scheduled to go to Great Adventure the VERY next day after the fire, or morning after, and we in fact, went, because the trip was booked and GA stayed open the next day, somehow, and I guess my school and admin. and parents didn't want to throw all that money away for a pre-booked GA trip. The trip felt somewhat cursed as far as I was concerned, but off we went to NJ. I recall waking up absurdly early at home, and hearing the news of the fire on 1010WINS or whatever. I thought our trip would be nixed, but it wasn't! So, we assembled at our school and got in the charter buses (not coach, just charter district school buses I believe) and went out to Great Adventure for a day of fun after hearing of this awful tragedy. What a weird day that was. I don't really remember all of it, but it was a hazy overcast day that day following, we could see the sections closed off after the fire, I do recall that, and an acrid smoke burnt smell was hanging in the air, which was horrible. I recall my gang going on the Runaway Train, Rolling Thunder, the log flume rides over and over again, and we even went on Free Fall the vertical drop ride which we had to psyche each other out to go on! We yelled out "Bite my Klondike!!!" as a Banzai yell, as we dropped, since that was a running bit that year (or GA trip) for me....the Klondike ice cream bar cart was right near the Free Fall ride. Free Fall was sick, you had to be a lunatic to go on that. I think we also went on the new Roaring Rapids tube ride that year as well. I recall going into some shop near front of the park later that day and buying my new U2 Under A Blood Red Sky t shirt and putting it on the same day. Everyone tried hard to ignore the tragedy and just have a good time, but it rained a bit that day and it was a very dark, ominous day all told. What a bizarre and eerie experience. I honestly cannot believe GA didn't close the entire park for a day following the tragedy. I'm sorry for the victims and everyone affected.

[@EvilCarrotSauce]

I worked as a tour guide at a zombie apocalypse haunted house for four years. We had many small accidents. Some people panicked and ran off the path; one terrified girl ran into an electric fence after running out of the building. Later, a tree outside fell, and people thought it was part of the show. No one was injured, but I guess haunted houses are full of accidents. This story made me very sad.

[@jiggleykrowzer8768]

EvilCarrotSauce I worked at a haunted hayride/barn horror attraction here in PA all through middleschool and high school. Never once did we put our people in anywhere NEAR the danger that these poor souls were subject too and our thing was some small time mickeymouse shit, not some fortune 500 Bally's owned multi-million dollar business. Fuck them for what they did to these people. It'd be different had they owned up to it and took some responsibility instead of paying off the victims families and covering it all up.

[@GrissomLovesSara]

I was there as well. My friends and I were trying to decide whether to go into the Haunted Castle or wait on the Bob Sled line. Thankfully, though I can't remember exactly how we came up with the decision, we waited on the Bob Sled line. We noticed the fire and smoke as we waited.

[@haileymacauley1408]

amazing documentary! so sad to hear they are building a coaster over this space and there is still no real memorial. just a “flower garden” type thing with no names or anything to identify what happened there :/

[@pji1979]

My family and I arrived 5 minutes before the fire happened. It was creepy. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

[@gigi4713]

I was 21 at the time of this tragedy. A NJ native and lifelong resident, I spent many, many days and nights visiting GA from the grand opening through present. I’ll never forget this and just how heartbreaking it was. My condolences to to families and loved ones of those precious souls lost!🙏💔😥If this happened today, would we really just accept that no cause was found?? Should be considered a cold case multi fatality and opened until solved!

[@collegeman1988]

Trailers without a permanent foundation can also burn to the ground like any other building. Didn’t anyone think about that?

[@amandaforeman7441]

Man you did a KICKASS job on this doc. I had only heard of this tragedy about 2 years ago and have never found more relevant, detailed info, until this! 👏

[@Goldenrod636]

Ah yes. Polyurethane foam. One of the biggest problems when it comes to fire safety. That foam was part of the reason why the Station Nightclub Fire ended up spreading so fast and resulting in 100 casualties. The only time something that HORRIBLE happened in my home state that I can remember.

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

I went to Great Adventure as a kid starting at its 1974 opening--yes, when everyone had those red LED watches I went in the Haunted Castle at least twice prior to the fire. I friend of mine came out crying having hit her head on the ceiling. I just found it to be such a lame attraction, especially compared to other Haunted Houses I went to including the great one at Disneyland. This one had hardly anything in it except darkness, at least when I was there. Actually my favorite ride there was the flume. Whomever created the deathtrap Haunted Castle was an evil idiot. Reminds me of Traction Park.

[@jadedheartsz]

yeah it was built on the cheap and proved more popular then expected(probably due to a lack of similar attractions in NJ)so Six Flags saw little reason to improve it.

[@chattingesque372]

just got done reading your ebook from Amazon. i thought it was very well written, and most importantly, very tasteful, well rounded, and non exploitative in tone. its obvious this tragedy is close to your heart, and i appreciate the fair consideration given to the main interviewee's religious views on the matter.

[@Catalyst455931]

First time I saw this was late at night. It sent shivers up my spine. Very good job.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

Castle Escape was removed soon after my documentary was released, beginning in 2004. The bumper cars were kept there for three more seasons. Even though it took them some time to reverse the terrible decision to redevelop the Haunted Castle site in the way that it had been, its still a step in the right direction. It is hoped that should this area be again developed, it would be done in a dignified way that was not an obvious exploitation.

[@Lyubov91]

I remember that when I toured the Haunted Castle two years before its demise, it seemed very shoddily constructed, and I wasn't surprised when I learned, from watching this documentary, that it was constructed of trailers. There also seemed to be a pervasive sense of evil within the HC which at the time I put down to my cowardice, but in the PDF version of this doc., it's mentioned that a demonic presence may roam the former castle grounds.

[@AshleyIrons]

Excellent documentary. I remember a similar event happening on The Ghost Train at Luna Park in Sydney, Australia in the late 70s. Eight people also died.

[@johncase1353]

This needs to be redone in full HD!

[@Zhertzpro]

John Case womt make much difference it was filmed probably with VHS, which is 240p

[@bebaleena]

That was cousin Eric that died in that 🙏

[@jadedheartsz]

sorry for your loss

[@woodencoasterfan]

Six Flags only declared a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Which allows for them to still opperate while reorganizing and restructuring their debt. The bad one is Chapter 7 which basically means you're closed and they sell all the assets to satisfy the debt holders.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

@ilovesidneypoitier Sorry about Jose. I know a little bit about him, and that is the fact he looked after and cared for his little sister that fateful day.

[@BakaMax]

My mom said that this was her senior year trip. She was supposed to go but couldn't. She was so sad but looking back on it, she realized something must've been watching over her.

[@jiggleykrowzer8768]

***** Satan, I believe it was Satan watching over them due to the horrific manner of death and fire involved. This is enough to turn even the biggest horror fan's stomach, and never should've happened. People today don't give a fuck and money is the only concern.

[@scottbriggs691]

I went with my junior high class the very next day to GA! As I detail above. That was bizarre. NO idea why our trip wasn't cancelled but it wasn't. I still don't know why GA was open the next day but it was. Bizarre and pretty callous, really.

[@Jez6a9bel]

This is really moving...im glad you have shed sum light to this old story...im really upset and saddened but thank you for your time to bring this to the public again! I was JUST there Sunday... spooky and i am studying interior design so this is part of my work, to keep people safe!

[@C_Holloway]

My older sister was there that night. She wasn't in the attraction itself, but she was nearby. Scary stuff. I'm not sure if students from other schools were there, but she was with the Franklin K. Lane group. Scary that I could have lost her. :(

[@chrisstevens4697]

The thought of this story is haunting itself... In list of 10 most fatal accidents at amusement parks, Six Flags appear twice, but still they've been let away with it...

[@Lyubov91]

Thank you for speaking up for these poor people, who died needlessly.

[@marksimon7908]

Well done video and actress. This shows how horrible and dangerous some amusement rides can be designed, and get away with it.!

[@TedsGMC]

Part 1. Just to let you know I am from Jersey and I remember the 1984 Great Adventure fire and to let YOU know the castle DID HAVE SPRINKLER SYSYEMS when it opened as part of there "insurance requirments"The water was TURNED OFF due to them doing maintance on the castle. New Jersey law had required them for "stuff" like this since 1968.

[@sydney13ism]

The footage for this looks like it went through the fire. Too bad. This really looks like an insightful look at a forgotten tragedy, a great documentary.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

@TruKriegsaffeNo9 Ground Zero means, "the very beginning or most elementary level of a disaster" and is NOT exclusive to the World Trade Center attacks!

[@ukatofox]

I've gone to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson every summer my whole life, and I was not aware of this. Was this ever put in Weird NJ? Oh a really cool side note, my mom was one of the first guests at Great Adventure :D

[@Compozzi916]

RIP to the victims and the victim's family. 35 years ago today. Smh.

[@OldCemeteryWalks]

I grew up in Brick, so getting season passes for Great Adventure every year was a given. I remember going that year and just getting an eerie feeling any time I walked passed the stockade fence that they erected around the scene of the Haunted Castle deaths. It's so sad that these teenagers needlessly lost their lives.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

This is a pretty compelling doc, very well researched. It would be nice to see a higher resolution upload. If not here on YT, then on Vimeo. VO and editing could be a little better, but that's a minor criticism.

[@SingerGirl84]

I was born the day before this happened. Sad to hear what happened 28 years later.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

There were no sprinklers inside the Haunted Castle. Aside from being in it about 100 times, I read every single available article, including thousands of pages of court documents from the trial, where it is stated that there was no sprinklers.

[@EpcotFan]

The 4 boys from Brooklyn attended the same HS I went to (different years). I always wondered about this and could never find enough information on it. Thanks for posting this.

[@Osbert50]

Six Flags didn't do a thing for the victims. And you know what's freaky, it actually is said that it's haunted in that area since then, with strange things like a tree falling down in nowind and just really odd stuff has been happening there since.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

@permasteel I'm sorry to hear that. They didn't deserve it, and shouldn't have been exposed to such deadly conditions.

[@crypticcolorsmakeup9834]

I've watched this documentary several times. Such an interesting story.

[@redmage777]

I did so research, according to Wiki, 1984 was all around Six Flags' worst year as far as death and injury at its parks. There were 5 other incidents resulting in serious injury, One of which was fatal, (Rail Blazer at Six Flags St. Louis) another of which involved 34 injurys! (Great Air Racer at Six Flags Over Georgia)

[@jbeachboy100]

it looked like a death trap, im surprised nobody ever saw that a fire could destroy this house easily.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

Was there just last week. It all looks completely different now. The area in question is blocked off, with the Batman & Robin Chiller ride now gone. Who knows what they are putting there next, but I hope they put a plaque somewhere honoring the victims when they do.

[@verminj]

Lived in NJ my whole life, and have had a season pass to 6 flags multiple years in a row and have never heard about the incident. I was born 6 years after the accident, but still can't believe I never heard a thing.

[@snakes3425]

The least Six Flags can do is put a memorial plaque in the area where the fire occured or at the Entrence to the park

[@TherealRNOwwfpooh]

@zac613: Of course, now that I have watched this, even with my lights on, I still feel uneasy, given my own belief in something beyond this world (call 'em spirits, call 'em ghosts, call 'em poltergiests, call 'em phantasms...but I believe that those who've passed who cannot find peace due to the events that lead to their unfortunate demise are stuck between our physical plane of existence & some astral world beyond our human comprehension, whether it be heaven, nirvana, enlightenment, etc.).

[@bluelegocat7520]

I wasn't alive back then but i could only imagine what happened that night...or day.

[@Lyubov91]

Yeah, I think I got very scared of the actors. The only way my friend and I got out was to hold onto the people in front of us. I'm surprised they didn't complain, but maybe they were as scared as we were and understood why were were holding onto them.

[@grgoldner]

I was there too...they played 4 songs....they saw the smoke and ran for cover. They have not been back to the States since.

[@transtremm]

All written, great research, excellent presentation. Thank for you for this meaningful documentary.

[@danwaltz315]

very well done peter. RIP to the teens who were killed in this fire.

[@Truckguy1970]

Was it wood? I heard there was a lot of tar paper as well but actually you would know more about it more then anyone here. From what I read you been in a couple of Mahanas creations and knew them from inside out, and true about the sprinklers. The only deaths I've seen reported in sprinklered buildings were in ones that the sprinklers were shut off and unfortunately I didn't know until after I made this post lol So anyway you made very interesting videos and I also like your book. Thanks, John.

[@janynej3414]

my mom was here when she was 9 years old she was in a trip with her girl scout camp she was about to go on the haunted house but they decided not to 👍👍👍👍

[@xtremepyrotech]

Bigman201939, I was there that day also. Golden Earring just started to play Radar Love when I saw the emergency vehicles haul ass from behind the stage area

[@EpcotFan]

Another thing, I haven't been to SFGA in about 3 years now.. is it still a dump?! Half the rides were closed for maintenance, the main fountain was completely dried up and the gift shop had NOTHING in it! I went in to purchase a harry potter watch for my sibling and when I asked the clerk where were all the products she explained that WB were pulling out sponsorship & they had to get rid of anything WB related.. Thank god for the 2 for 1 Coke cans, that park is a freaking dump..

[@sonoroustripleh]

I wish they would bring the haunted castle back! Sorry for those who died or hurt on that day!

[@mattyjacks89]

thank you for sharing im a life long resident of Nj and ive actully have been there a ton of times i never new this happened till today...kind of suprised i never heard of this

[@TherealRNOwwfpooh]

@zac613: Hey, even Disney had deaths. Though granted, most of those were due to stupidity of guests, but some were accidental (ex: America Sings).

[@drpeterjamessmith]

@Blackshayde A solid layout? That's b.s. As the park was designed, only HALF of it was built, and both the two "connected" sides were joined in a rush, all higelty-pigelty.

[@jamesrodgers9710]

Excellent doc!

[@drpeterjamessmith]

Thanks

[@pika23]

i remember my baby sitters lisa and kathy, talking about it...i was 6 as well...i was there like september 85...and i made my mom walk me past where it happened. it was a garden for a time after...roped off with chains..like a memorial? i think....i know something was there...my mom was really sad and i cried.

[@bigdaddy496]

i was there the night it burned down. i always asked my dad to take me in there, but instead he took my sister. it sucked knowing i would never get to see it, i always loved haunted house rides.

[@carterphillips9159]

We needed more films like this

[@megaswenson]

Plywood and 2x4s covered in urethane foam? What could POSSIBLY go WRONG? And to make it even safer, the inside of the thing was made of abandoned trailers? Who ever heard of a fire in a trailer?

[@megaswenson]

Jon Kline True! Only in New Jersey. When I was at Tulane, the kids from New York had a running joke, like, "Did you hear about the fire in New Jersey?" (apparently, there's ALWAYS a chemical plant or SOMETHING on fire in New Jersey). But apparently, if you have the right connections there, you can ignore fire regulations commonplace in the rest of the civilized world.

[@hwahlberg1962]

In point of fact, no state at that time had laws about what were known as "temporary attractions" constructed of trailers. After the trial (I was a supervisor of that facility and was deposed and was there all weekend during the fire, assisting), New Jersey led the states in adopting new sprinkler system laws for temporary attractions.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

An alternative working title to my writing was, "Trailer Trash".

[@kikicallahan3662]

Haunted Castle is also the name of a 1987 arcade game that is a spin-off of the popular Castlevania series.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

@FilmNMusicBuff77 How Rude! Maybe the girl on Lightn' Loops made a bad choice, but the people in the Haunted Castle had NO CHOICE, because as quickly as they knew it, they were overcome by smoke, and/or trampled violently. There's no comparison between the events.

[@jadedheartsz]

Apparently the woman on Lightn Loops wasn't properly secured by the ride operator so it was their fault.

[@lilkalanadiangirl31]

Thanks for sharing your docomentary with all of us.

[@zac613]

six flags sounds like they don't care about safty. it's sad that 8 people burned to death. and the six flags park i live near six flags mid america(st louis) it had 4 deaths. 3 when the SkyWay car fell and 1 on the Rail Blazer(river king mine train). hmmmm people wonder why i don't go to 6 flags theme parks.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

@BIGMAN201939 Maybe I misunderstood, but my memory is good, and the Doorway To Hell predated the Haunted Castle by several years. I went to both places all the time: Casino Pier and Great Adventure. Thank you for your interest. This is a very important topic to me, and I appreciate your interest.

[@TheHarryHorrorShow]

I would love to know if you have the original files-I stream and discuss stories like this and would love to talk about getting this incredible documentary remastered/touched up by an audio visual expert. Thank you for putting the work into this either way

[@achill6080]

It perfect and eerie how after the fire the castle portrayed a skull.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

I am not sure what you mean. A skull>

[@drpeterjamessmith]

I sometimes forget things because its been so long since I made that film and other things have replaced the knowledge. The Doorway To Hell in seaside had an exit that was a skull, but ithe castle I don't remember

[@drpeterjamessmith]

I want to TOTALLY apologize and declare myself a total horse's ass...I FORGOT about the giant melted skull. I thought that was only in seaside and NOT SO. And I made this stupid documentary and watched that shit ten trillion times!

[@achill6080]

@@drpeterjamessmith LOL! No worries! And I am Mistaken as I believed it to have been the front entry but after doing research I read that the skull was an exit. Wow! You are very dedicated! and still keep up with your work. Could you imagine though if that *WAS* the entrance and it melted like that?! As a Born again Christian myself it just shows the devil's work. I am disgusted by how the victims were treated! Made the parents of the deceased pay their own tickets. No memorial and even mocked the fire through more rides depicting the tragedy once again the devil becomes more and more prevalent through greed. I remember years going as a child not ten years after the Haunted Castle and I never would have known! I only pray that young man who had started the fire is well and that he knows it was not his fault.

[@achill6080]

I am glad that something good did come out of this, however. Safety precautions became much more strict and temporary or not appropriate and adequate safety measures were added into law.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

Chiller and now Dark Knight are across, although not directly, from the Haunted Castle's former location. The bumper cars are on the HC's former site.

[@bathingape28]

my mom was inside the haunted castle a few hours b4 it burned down...she was one of the students on a class trip from perth amboy.

[@booth2710]

This tragedy is very similiar to the ghost train fire at Luna Park in Sydney in 1979 which killed about 11 people - most of which were young children ...

[@johncase1353]

If you even bring up The Haunted Castle while in the park today and an employee hears you, you'll get kick out of the park in a heartbeat.

[@171TITO]

John Case why?

[@johncase1353]

It's something they want to completely forget about and they get tired of people coming to the park just to bug everyone by asking "Where was The Haunted Castle located?" as if it's some kind of tourist attraction.

[@hwahlberg1962]

Patently false.

[@drpeterjamessmith]

More and more customers were coming from inner-city New York and other urban areas. The actors said these persons were confrontational and would hit the actors intended to scare them. '83 was SFGA's biggest year to date.

[@denisewhite11385]

I had friends that died one that fire. All 8 people who died in the fire were from Franklin K. Lane H.S

[@denisewhite11385]

***** yes your right. My younger sister thank GOD didn't go in She was a Lane student also. She still talks about it

[@angelicareal7381]

+Vespera The other three were from New Jersey.

[@bradhig]

What 3d program did you use to make the 3d walkthrough of the haunted castle?

[@Tronomics2000]

What was the music used for the selection screen? Was it an original track or something preexisting?

[@EpcotFan]

They went to school in Brooklyn, it wasn't clear on where the boys from Franklin K. Lane lived. Then again, If you look at FKL on a map, the borderline of Queens & Brooklyn runs right through the middle of it. One entrance (side) had a Queens address (Elderts Lane) and the main front entrance had a Brooklyn address (Jamaica Avenue). I remember depending on the side we were on, we had to list the correct address.. it was confusing when you're a freshman lol

[@drpeterjamessmith]

@scipiomask I'd call it, "Enter, believe your safe, but you'll never escape, unless you've suffered your last breath before reaching an exit"