Rollercoaster Riders in Wisconsin Were Stuck Upside Down for Hours
Just when I thought watching Final Destination 3 at a young age scared me off rollercoasters for the rest of my life, a festival in Wisconsin didn't ease my fears whatsoever.
Several passengers of a rollercoaster, many of them young kids, found themselves stuck upside down for hours after a malfunction. This happened at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, WI after the ride appeared to completely shut down in the middle of a loop. Riders were reportedly hanging upside down for at least three hours, per NBC affiliate WJFW or Rhinelander, WI.
Video shared on social media, which was later picked up by WKYC Channel 3, showed passengers helplessly stranded upside down before firefighters were able to raise a ladder and rescue each passenger one-by-one. It took hours and emergency responders from more than three surrounding counties.
While the cause of the malfunction was not immediately clear, Crandon Fire Department Capt. Brennan Cook told local media that there was a "mechanical failure with the ride where it became stuck in the upright position." No further details have been released at this time.
Erica Kostichka from Antigo Fire/EMS added that her crew had never had experience with a situation such as this one, but were able to act accordingly and help rescue each passenger safely.
According to a joint news release, an off-duty firefighter with specialized ropes rescue training happened to be at the Forest County Festival and assisted the Crandon Fire Department on potential rescue options. Due to the sheer height of the loop on the malfunctioned coaster, special equipment and rescue teams were called in to help. A ladder truck with a 100-foot platform needed to arrive at the scene from more than 45 minutes away.
The first passenger got back to solid ground at 3:20pm, per CNN, approximately two hours after emergency crews were dispatched to the scene:
Families are being reunited with people as they come down off of the ride from the rescuers and everybody seems to be doing as best as they can, given the circumstances. - Crandon Fire Department Capt. Brennan Cook to WJFW
Nine patients were treated by emergency medical services and one person was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Overall, 10 fire vehicles, nine ambulances, and 50 people spanning three counties helped assist in the rescue.
Again, you won't find me on a rollercoaster anytime soon.
Read more about the Forest County Festival's rollercoaster malfunctioning on CNN.
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