Nearly 30 Riders Stuck Upside Down At US Amusement Park (X image@Starcasm)
A malfunction of a pendulum style rider at a park has left the riders dangling upside down. Reportedly, the “AtmosFEAR” malfunctioned on the park’s season opening day. The incident happened at Oaks Park, Oregon, US.
Nearly 30 riders were stuck upside down until the Portland Fire and Rescue arrived for assistance. The video footage of the incident showed the ride car suspended vertically.
This is terrifying! Can you imagine hanging upside down in the air for half an hour!
Friday, June 14, in Portland, Oregon 28 people were stuck upside down for 30 minutes on an amusement park ride called AtmosFEAR.
Firefighters were ready to do a high-angle ropes rescue, but… pic.twitter.com/ddZqEIUTON
— Starcasm (@starcasm) June 15, 2024
“I was crying, not of joy, not of anything, I was just crying. I was more happy, I was alive. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated my life more. This is really an acknowledgement moment for me”, one rider named Daniel Allen told KATU News, who was on the ride when it stopped.
Fire officials, and park engineers worked together to manually lower the ride, said the department.
“The ride has been manually lowered, and all riders are now being evacuated and medically evaluated”, said the officials.
No serious injuries were reported among the riders. The cause of the malfunction is still under probe.
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As per the park’s website, the AtmosFEAR ride, in which riders can choose to spin either 360 or 180 degrees, has been closed until further notice. The ride has been in operation since 2021 and the park had no issues with it, according to the statement from the park. The park said it will work with the manufacturer and state inspectors to identify what caused the incident.
Notably, the Oaks Park holds the distinction of being Oregon’s oldest operating amusement park, conveniently located just 3.5 miles from downtown Portland.
