Dozens of people were trapped upside down hundreds of feet in the air for more than 20 minutes when an amusement park ride in Portland, Oregon, malfunctioned on Friday.
Oaks Amusement Park’s AtmosFEAR ride halted just before 3:00 p.m., and park workers immediately called 911, the park said, NBC News reported on Saturday.
When emergency crews arrived about 20 minutes later, it took them a few minutes to lower the ride and rescue the people trapped on it.
Video footage taken from a distance shows the ride when it stopped working. People watching the scene unfold were shocked and stared in disbelief:
“Portland Fire & Rescue said all riders were medically evaluated. The park said one person with pre-existing medical conditions was taken to the hospital for further evaluation out of an abundance of caution,” the NBC article noted. “The other riders were released at the park by medics.”
Daniel Allen and Jordan Harding were on the ride when the incident occurred. Harding said they knew something was wrong when the ride stopped while holding them upside down, per KTVZ.
She said they were frightened, and other people near them were crying and speaking what they thought were going to be their last words.
“I’m not even religious, and I said a prayer. I didn’t think I was going to live to see right now,” she stated.
When the young woman was rescued, she hugged the firefighter and said it was a huge relief to be on the ground again because she was unsure she ever would again.
Allen said, “Twenty-five minutes when you’re just laying upside down. You never expect it, it’s just crazy.”
Video footage taken on the ride shows how it swings back and forth high into the air:
Jon Harrell of Portland Fire and Rescue told KOIN that crews have drilled on how to extricate people from the ride during such an event.
In conclusion, the NBC report said, “The ride will remain closed until further notice. Oaks Park said it will work with the manufacturer and state inspectors to identify what caused the ride to malfunction.”