News

Norton HS students injured after tram hydroplanes at Six Flags New England

AGWAM, Mass. — Norton High School students who were injured during a class trip at Six Flags, including two who suffered concussions, graduated on Friday.

The students were on a tram returning to the parking lot at Six Flags in Agawam in the rain Thursday when the tram hydroplaned.

Breanna Cahoon was one of three students who went to the hospital with injuries.

She missed her graduation practice because of her concussion, but received her diploma with her classmates at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield Friday night.

"Once I got on the bus, my back and neck and head just started hurting," Cahoon said. "It felt like somebody was putting a big weight on me."

Senior Jacob Blend was talking to friends on the tram when he, too, was tossed around.

"It was pretty scary," said Blend, who had a bruise knee. "I just didn't know what happened. It came out of nowhere."

Jennifer McGrath, communications manager of Six Flags New England said in a statement "wet road conditions just after a drenching rain passed through our area caused a tram to hydroplane."

"Our safety personnel responded immediately and five guests, four of which were minors were transported to a local hospital for evaluation," she added. "At this time all five guests have been released from the hospital."

Superintendent Joseph Baeta told Boston 25 News before the graduation ceremony Friday the school district is investigating the incident and working with Six Flags to understand what happened.

"To have this incident take place, we got a little nervous," Baeta said. "Everybody's safe, everybody's going to survive. We got some bruising, we got a couple kids with some severe concussions that will hopefully be fine. And we're going to have graduation tonight."

Baeta urged anyone else who felt pain the following day to see their doctors.