The AtmosFEAR ride at Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon more than lived up to its name for 28 riders on Jun. 14, 2024, when they found themselves hanging upside down for half an hour as the ride stalled due to a malfunction, KGW8 reported:
Photo from KGW8.
The AtmosFear ride opened in 2021, and involves a pendulum that swings from side to side.
The ride stops upside down as a regular part of the ride, though typically only for a moment.
"We were just freaking out"
Riders realised that things were not going according to plan when the ride stayed at the top at about 2:55pm (U.S. time) and did not resume falling.
Many on the ride started panicking, and were stuck in an upside-down position with their legs pointing upwards.
One, a teenager who was interviewed by KGW8 said: “We were just freaking out. People were crying. They were just putting into the universe what they wanted to say for their last words.”
Soon after, park officials called 911, and the ride was manually lowered at about 3:25pm.
One person with a pre-existing medical condition was evacuated to an area hospital, though no injuries or casualties were reported.
The ride is closed until further notice. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the malfunction.
Top photo from KGW8.