Nearly three dozen thrillseekers faced a nightmare scenario when a popular amusement park ride at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland, Oregon, malfunctioned, leaving them suspended upside down 100 feet in the air on a warm Friday afternoon.
The AtmosFEAR ride, renowned for its stomach-churning thrills, abruptly stopped at its apex at 2:55 p.m., trapping 28 riders in a precarious position. Emergency responders swiftly arrived to initiate rescue operations as park staff immediately called 911.
One of the riders, Daniel Allen, a high school graduate celebrating his milestone, described the surreal experience. 'I was excited to go on, but getting stuck up there was another thing entirely,' he said. His friend and fellow graduate, Jordan Harding, expressed similar distress, recalling how their initial excitement gave way to sheer terror as minutes ticked by and their bodies screamed from the unnatural position. 'We were just freaking out,' she said. 'People were crying, and some were saying what they thought might be their last words.'
Visitors on the ground watched in horror as the ride's giant pendulum swung to a halt, leaving the riders' feet hanging in mid-air. Bystander Chris Ryan, who was waiting in line with his wife, documented the scene. 'Oh my God, they are upside down,' he heard people exclaim. The unsettling footage showed the ride stuck at the top, bodies upside down against a bluing sky.
'This has never happened before,' a park employee told Ryan. Despite the unique failure, the response was methodical and swift. Portland Fire & Rescue arrived within minutes; their team, together with the park's engineers, manually lowered the ride.
Paramedics were ready on the ground, conducting medical evaluations on all the riders. One person with a pre-existing condition was taken to a hospital for further evaluation as a precaution. The rest, in what seemed like an eternity, were physically unharmed but undoubtedly shaken.
Oaks Amusement Park, a staple of entertainment in Portland since 1905, issued a statement expressing gratitude towards the first responders and apologizing for the incident. 'We will be working closely with the ride's manufacturer and state inspectors to determine the exact cause of the malfunction,' the park stated, adding that AtmosFEAR, which has been operational since 2021, will remain closed pending a thorough investigation.
The incident emphasized the precarious balance between thrill-seeking and safety, a reminder that even the most routine forms of entertainment come with inherent risks. For now, the park stands by its commitment to 'ensure that something like this never happens again.'
This event serves as a poignant reminder to appreciate safety measures and the diligent work of emergency responders. As the investigation continues, patrons and amusement park lovers hold their breath, waiting for answers while hoping the next ride is nothing short of exhilarating—without the unplanned chills.
