A group of 28 thrillseekers were left dangling upside down with a head rush on Friday when an amusement park attraction in Portland, Ore., malfunctioned, trapping the riders for nearly 30 minutes.
The passengers became stuck on a swinging pendulum ride, called AtmosFEAR, at the century-old Oaks Amusement Park just before 3 p.m. local time.
According to a statement from the park, the ride “stopped at the apex position while operating in the 360-degree setting, suspending 28 riders upside down.”
Emergency procedures were immediately enacted and 911 was called.
AtmosFEAR riders were unloaded safely on the ground after emergency responders arrived at Oaks Amusement Park on June 14, 2024.
Facebook via Portland Fire & Rescue
Within 20 minutes, first responders arrived at the park and maintenance crews were able to return the ride to the ground in order to unload all 28 patrons. Their health was assessed by Portland Fire & Rescue officials and no injuries were reported.
Out of “an abundance of caution,” the park said one rider with a pre-existing medical condition was brought to hospital for further evaluation.
“The AtmosFEAR has been in operation since 2021 and has operated without incident to this point,” the Oaks Amusement Park statement reads. “The ride will remain closed until further notice.”
It is unclear what caused the ride to stop.
The amusement park was evacuated during the rescue.
Portland Fire & Rescue said its team worked with Oaks Amusement Park engineers to manually lower the ride and free the trapped passengers. They also prepared high-angle ropes in the event that the ride could not be lowered.
Oaks Amusement Park said it is co-operating with the AtmosFEAR manufacturer and Oregon state inspectors to identify why the attraction malfunctioned. Riders who were stuck on the AtmosFEAR told NBC affiliate KGW in Portland that though they were only suspended for about 30 minutes, it felt like hours had passed.
Portland teenager Jordan Harding, one of the unfortunate few people to have been left upside down, told the outlet she realized something was wrong only once the ride stopped moving.
“People were crying,” she said. “They were just putting into the universe what they wanted to say for their last words.”
“That position is just so uncomfortable physically,” she said. “My entire waist below was asleep.”
Oaks Amusement Park has expressed gratitude for both their park guests and Portland’s first responders.
“We wish to express our deepest appreciation to the first responders and our staff for taking prompt action, leading to a positive outcome today,” the park wrote. “Most of all, we are thankful that the riders are safe and with their families.”
The park is offering refunds to guests who were forced to leave the park early on Friday. Visitors were permitted back into the park the following day, though AtmosFEAR is still shut down.
Oaks Park first opened in 1905 and is one of the oldest continually operating amusement parks in the U.S.
Today, the park includes a number of carnival rides, a roller rink and a dance pavilion, among other amenities.
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