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A toxic waste-themed ride at Alton Towers had to be temporarily closed on its opening day – after a burst pipe flooded the nearby area with sewage.
Toxicator, the park’s newest ride, was shut for about an hour on Saturday after the area nearby was evacuated.
Alton Towers opened from 10am on Saturday for its 2025 season, staying open until 8pm for Alton After Dark. Plans for the new ride were announced in January, prompting fans to travel to the Staffordshire park, eager to be among the first to ride the attraction.
Some queued for more than an hour for the Toxicator, which promises “a fearsome battleground of otherworldly aliens, suspicious scientific experiments and military might”.
The ride takes thrillseekers past themed props, including barrels of “toxic waste”. Black and yellow branding outside the attraction warns of an “overhead splash hazard”.
It stands higher than 78ft tall and can carry upwards of 500 riders an hour. It is the only “top spin” ride in the world that is elevated above ground level, meaning spectators can watch from below.
Members of the public posted about the incident on social media platform X, with one writing: “Alton Towers just had a toxic event when their new toxicator ride started spraying raw sewage on to people in the queue.”
“Bit too literal on the ‘toxic substance,” another said, while a third wrote the Toxicator was “giving off something extra toxic”.
Some said they had seen a brown liquid at the entrance of the ride, sharing pictures and videos on social media showing a grid flooded with murky water.
“I know it’s called Toxicator but come on,” one person wrote, sharing a picture of the brown liquid. “The drains have burst and there’s [poo emoji] everywhere.”
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“Toxicator. Sewage leak. There’s a certain irony about that. Surely Alton Towers could have kept it running claiming it’s a special toxic experience today?” Another person joked on X: “Stopped the complaints completely!!”
A spokesperson for the park told the Manchester Evening News that the issue was down to a burst pipe, and that “people were allowed back on in less than an hour”.
However, some were quick to praise the theme park’s staff for dealing with the incident quickly, with one person writing: “Honestly though well done getting it cleaned up and reopened for late night riding.”
A spokesperson for Alton Towers said: “Due to an unexpected burst pipe near the ride, Toxicator briefly paused operation while our teams swiftly dealt with the issue. The ride and surrounding area are now fully reopened and welcoming guests.”
