20 injured at New England rollercoaster accident

More than 20 people have been injured in a rollercoaster accident at a New England amusement park.

They went to hospital, mostly with minor injuries, after two cars collided on the Superman Ride of Steel at the Six Flags theme park in Agawam, Massachusetts.

The park remained open but the ride, one of the park's seven rollercoasters, was closed.

"It was like the car that slammed into us never even slowed down," said crash victim Mattie Nichols of Hampden. "My neck hurts, but it could have been worse."

There were a few broken bones, facial cuts and bruises but most of the injuries were minor, said Deputy Fire Chief David S Walles.

Witnesses said one train of cars was leaving the platform when a second slammed it from behind.

The Superman ride, which opened in May 2000, has a maximum height of 208 feet and reaches speeds of up to 80 mph.

Dean O'Keefe, director of marketing for the amusement park, said ride engineers from Six Flags, as well as the company which made the rollercoaster, were investigating the accident.