Emergency crews saved 28 people from a “scary situation” after they were left stranded upside down 100ft in the air on an amusement park ride.
Oregon authorities rescued the visitors to the amusement park - whose days become not-so-amusing as they were left dangling on the AtmosFEAR ride in the frightening ordeal. One man visiting for his birthday had been queuing for the ride when it got stuck, and said they heard people saying “Oh my God, they are upside down,” when it became clear the ride was stuck.
Chris Ryan and his wife, from nearby Gresham, decided to walk away because of “how scary the situation was”, and hopped onto the ferris wheel before a tannoy announcement confirmed that the park would be closed. Visitors were told to evacuate immediately from the park.
READ MORE:
Portland Fire and Rescue said on X that firefighters were working with Oaks Park engineers to lower the ride manually - but crews were preparing to manually lower the stuck visitors with high-angle ropes if necessary. All riders were being evacuated and medically evaluated, and there were no reports of injuries - but one with a pre-existing medical condition was taken straight to hospital as a precaution. Firefighters later posted an image of the ride successfully returned to ground level.
Brit 'saw her insides' after being cut open by propeller on luxury diving trip
For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to .
First responders managed to safely lower the ride back to ground level (AP)The ride, called AtmosFEAR, was first opened in 2021 in the century-old amusement park. It operates like a pendulum, with the capacity to swing riders completely upside down. When the ride stopped, park staff immediately called 911 and emergency responders arrived about 25 minutes later, the park statement said. Park maintenance workers were able to return the ride to its unloading position minutes after first responders arrived.
The park-goers were stranded for around 30 minutes upside down (AP)According to Portland Fire and Rescue, 30 people were on board. The amusement park produced a different figure, claiming there were 28 riders on AtmosFEAR - which since its opening has not suffered any prior incidents. The ride will now remain closed until later notice, with the manufacturer and state inspectors brought in to determine why it failed mid-ride and whether it is safe to re-open.
The park was closed and the ride will now be evaluated by authorities (AP)A statement from Oaks Park read: “We wish to express our deepest appreciation to the first responders and our staff for taking prompt action, leading to a positive outcome today, and to the rest of the park guests who swiftly followed directions to vacate the park to make way for the emergency responders to attend to the situation.”
Oaks Park first opened in 1905. Its website says it offers a “uniquely Portland blend of modern thrills and turn-of-the-century charm on a midway that has delighted generations of Northwesterners.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
