Crews rescue 30 people trapped upside down high on Oregon amusement park ride

2025-01-19 10:34:04 source: category:Finance

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Emergency crews in Oregon rescued 30 people Friday after they were stuck for about half an hour dangling upside down high on a ride at a century-old amusement park.

Portland Fire and Rescue said on the social platform X that firefighters worked with engineers at Oaks Park to manually lower the ride, but crews had been preparing to conduct a high-angle ropes rescue if necessary. All riders were being evacuated and medically evaluated, and there were no reports of injuries.

The ride, called AtmosFEAR, operates like a pendulum, with the capacity to swing riders completely upside down.

Chris Ryan and his wife, from nearby Gresham, were at the park for his birthday. He told The Associated Press in a Facebook message that they had just been planning to ride AtmosFEAR when they saw it was stuck and heard people saying, “Oh my God, they are upside down.”

They decided to walk away because of “how scary the situation was,” he said. They eventually got on the Ferris wheel and heard a loudspeaker announcement that the park was closed and that people should evacuate.

The park did not immediately return a voicemail left after business hours seeking comment.

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.”

More:Finance

Recommend

Veterans Day restaurant deals 2024: More than 80 discounts, including free meals

Restaurants across the country have specials for Veterans Day on Monday as a way to honor the sacrif

Telescope images reveal 'cloudy, ominous structure' known as 'God's Hand' in Milky Way

An interstellar structure known as “God’s Hand” can be seen reaching across the cosmos toward a near

Baby Reindeer's Alleged Stalker Fiona Harvey Shares Her Side of the Story With Richard Gadd

"Martha" is telling her side of the story.After writer/actor Richard Gadd shared his "true story" of