Festivalgoers in the US got more of an adventure than they bargained for on Sunday when a roller coaster stalled at a Wisconsin fair, leaving them dangling upside down for hours.
Eight passengers were suspended when a mechanical failure disrupted the ride at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, Wis., the Crandon Fire Department said.
“There was a mechanical failure with the ride where it got stuck in an upright position. The ride was recently inspected by the State of Wisconsin here on site,” fire department captain Brennan Cook told CNN affiliate WJFW.
Videos on social media and videos taken by WJFW show a rescuer climbing over the side of the Fireball ride as passengers wait upside down.
“Our department has never been through a situation like we’ve been through (Sunday),” Erica Kostichka of Antigo Fire/EMS told CNN affiliate WAOW.
Passengers and crew present to assist them were leveraged to keep everyone safe during the rescue, Kostichka said.
An off-duty firefighter with specialized training in rope rescue was on the scene and advised the Crandon Fire Department on potential rescue options, according to a joint statement from the fire department and the Crandon Area Rescue Squad.
Due to the height of the ride, special equipment and rescuers were called in to help, the press release said.
Passengers were waiting for a ladder truck with a 30-meter platform to arrive 45 minutes away, the statement said. Firefighters from three cities assisted the Crandon Fire Department in the rescue.
The first passenger returned to dry land about two hours after emergency crews were dispatched, the press release said. The last passenger reached the ground more than three hours after the ride stopped.
“Families are rallying with people as they exit the rescue vehicle and everyone seems to be doing the best they can given the circumstances,” Cook told WJFW.
Nine patients were treated by emergency medical services and one person was transported to Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital by ambulance, according to the statement.
Ten fire vehicles, nine ambulances and 50 people from three counties helped rescue the passengers, the fire department said.
The ordeal came two days after a parent spotted a crack in a steel support pillar at the top of a roller coaster at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. This tour has been closed for inspection and repair.
Crandon is located in northern Wisconsin, about 30 miles east of Rhinelander.
Source: CNN Brasil
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