Emergency teams in Oregon rescued 28 individuals on Friday after they became stuck for approximately 30 minutes hanging upside down on a ride at a century-old amusement park.
Portland Fire and Rescue reported on the social media platform X that firefighters collaborated with engineers at Oaks Park to lower the ride manually. They had also prepared for a potential high-angle ropes rescue if needed.
All riders were being evacuated and undergoing medical assessments, and there were no reports of injuries.
According to a statement from Oaks Amusement Park posted on social media, one rider with a pre-existing medical condition was taken to a hospital for further evaluation as a precaution. Medics cleared all other passengers.
The ride, known as AtmosFEAR, swings riders upside down like a pendulum.
Chris Ryan and his wife, who live nearby in Gresham, were celebrating his birthday at the park. He told The Associated Press in a Facebook message that they had planned to ride AtmosFEAR but saw it was stuck and heard people exclaiming, “Oh my God, they are upside down.”
Responders on sight (Via Oregon Amusement Ride Rescue)
Feeling uneasy about the situation, they decided to go on the Ferris wheel instead. They later heard a loudspeaker announcement that the park was closing and everyone needed to evacuate.
Park staff immediately called 911 when the ride stopped, and emergency responders arrived about 25 minutes later, according to the park’s statement. Maintenance workers were able to return the ride to its unloading position shortly after first responders arrived.
Portland Fire mentioned that approximately 30 people were aboard, while the amusement park stated there were 28 riders.
The ride has been operational since 2021 and had not experienced any previous incidents, the park noted. It will remain closed until further notice while the park collaborates with the ride’s manufacturer and state inspectors to determine the cause of the stoppage.
