Kings Island's The Bat closed after a wheel came loose while in motion; ride formerly known as 'Top Gun'

MASON, Ohio — A popular roller coaster at Kings Island, built during its Paramount days, is shut down after a mishap involving a train wheel.

Kings Island spokesman Chad Showalter told WCPO that operation of The Bat is suspended while crews do repairs.

Showalter said in a statement that "Operation of The Bat is temporarily suspended while Kings Island crews perform maintenance related to a wheel that came loose while the train was in motion on Wednesday evening, June 22."

He says that everyone was able to get off safely.

"The safety of our guests and associates is always our top priority. The ride’s redundant safety measures helped ensure that guests were safe while riding the ride and no guests were injured," Showalter said.

Older coaster with a history

The Bat is a suspended coaster that is nearly 30 years old, and was originally called Top Gun, when Kings Island was owned by Paramount.

It was built by Arrow Dynamics, a now defunct company that closed in 2001.

Many Arrow coasters nationwide are now reaching the end of their lifespans, such as King's Island's former Vortex coaster, which was removed in 2019.

"The Bat," however, is a favorite of older fans, who remember the original Bat from the 1980's, which was a groundbreaking suspended coaster when it first debuted.

Showalter would not speculate on how long repairs may take.