Amusement park enthusiasts at Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon, were left hanging upside down in a terrifying incident when a ride malfunctioned. According to KGW8, the mishap occurred on the AtmosFEAR ride at 2:55 pm local time on Friday, 14 June.
Quickly springing into action, the park initiated emergency protocols and dialed 911 as 28 patrons found themselves stranded, their legs pointing skyward. The situation, though distressful, was resolved swiftly, with Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) successfully evacuating all riders manually by 3:25 pm.
A statement from PF&R on X detailed the response: “Portland, Fire is en route to Oaks Park for a ride that is stuck, with multiple riders. At this point there are no indications of injury. There is a PIO en route and we will update information until they arrive on, as needed. Portland Fire is working with park engineers to manually lower the ride, if possible, and are also preparing the high angle rope rescue team to affect rescues with the ride stuck, as is, if they are unable to manually lower the ride.”
After the rescue, all individuals were examined medically. Oaks Park released a statement confirming, “One rider with pre-existing medical conditions was transported to the hospital for further evaluation, out of an abundance of caution.”
Despite the ordeal lasting only about 30 minutes, affected riders reported that the experience felt much longer. High school graduates Daniel Allen and Jordan Harding, who chose the AtmosFEAR as their first ride of the day in celebration, recounted their experience. Allen expressed to KGW8, “I was excited to go on. When you get stuck up there, I don’t think you’re so excited anymore.”
The AtmosFEAR, a striking black-and-blue pendulum ride, is designed to swing back and forth, briefly pausing in an upside-down position before returning to normal.
Following the incident, PF&R confirmed that they had transported one person to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Oaks Park is collaborating with the ride’s manufacturer and state inspectors to investigate the cause of the malfunction.
The park expressed gratitude in a statement: “We wish to express our deepest appreciation to the first responders and our staff for taking prompt action, leading to a positive outcome today, and to the rest of the park guests who swiftly followed directions to vacate the park to make way for the emergency responders to attend to the situation. Most of all, we are thankful that the riders are safe and with their families.”