28 riders rescued after being stuck upside down on ride at Oregon amusement park

PORTLAND, Ore. — A thrilling ride at an Oregon amusement took a scary turn on Friday after at least 28 people were trapped upside down for about 25 minutes, authorities said.

According to a news release from Portland Fire and Rescue, the AtmosFEAR ride at the Oaks Amusement Park stalled at about 3:05 p.m. PDT.

Officials said the passengers, who were belted into the ride, were “stuck upside down” on the ride, KOIN-TV reported. They remained suspended about 50 feet in the air on the stalled ride before they were successfully lowered to the ground, according to the television station.

Crews arrived at the scene within five minutes after dispatchers received a call, city officials said in the news release. The ride was manually lowered to allow passengers to exit it safely.

Park officials closed the amusement park for the rest of the day, KATU-TV reported.

“I was crying, not of joy, not of anything, I was just crying. I was more happy, I was alive,” Daniel Allen, one of the passengers on the ride, told the television station. “I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated my life more. This is really an acknowledgment moment for me.”

The AtmosFEAR ride gives riders the option to spin either 180 degrees or 360 degrees. According to the park’s website, the ride will be closed until further notice.

The ride has been in operation since 2021, CNN reported. In a statement to the cable news outlet, the park had no previous issues with the ride.

While none of the passengers were injured, one rider was transported to an area hospital for observation “out of an abundance of caution,” Portland Fire and Rescue officials said.

City officials did not reveal the person’s name, age or gender.

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