Roller Coaster Riders Were Stuck Upside Down For 3 Hours At Festival
It has been a bad week for roller coasters. First there was the news that a steel support pillar had become detached from the track of the Fury 325 giga coaster at Carowinds. Now there’s a report of another ride malfunctioning at a carnival in Wisconsin. According to USA Today, eight people were stuck upside down for hours after a roller coaster stopped mid-loop.
Officials say the ‘Fire Ball’ ride at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, Wisconsin, experienced a mechanical failure that left one of the cars suspended at the top of its loop. Riders were left hanging for at least three hours on Sunday (7/2). Thankfully, they were held in place by their safety harnesses.
Eventually, a ladder truck was brought in to rescue the roller coaster riders. All eight people were taken to the hospital for evaluation but no serious injuries were reported. The reason for the ride failure is currently under investigation. However, a spokesperson for the Crandon Fire Department claimed the ride had been inspected prior to the malfunction. Okay, but by whom?
This is one of the reasons I don’t go on these kinds of rides anymore, especially at temporary attractions such as county fairs. I don’t even like it when the Ferris Wheel stops intentionally. I can’t imagine being stuck upside down for three minutes, let alone three hours. But if you’re more of the thrill-seeking type, keep scrolling to see a list of the Top 10 Scariest Roller Coasters in the World.
Firefighters safely removed all eight passengers from this broken-down coaster that left riders stuck upside down for hours. pic.twitter.com/0yn8kkZTB9
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 5, 2023
