About 30 people were rescued Friday afternoon after being trapped upside down on a stuck Portland amusement park ride for about half an hour.
About 30 people were trapped upside down on the AtmosFEAR ride at Portland's Oaks Amusement Park before they were rescued on Friday, June 14, 2024.
Courtesy of Portland Fire & Rescue
Portland Fire & Rescue officials briefly considered a high-angle rope rescue to evacuate people trapped on the AtmosFEAR ride at Oaks Amusement Park. But emergency responders were ultimately able to lower the ride manually.
The fire department did not report serious injuries immediately after the rescue, but riders were offered medical evaluations.
One rider with a pre-existing medical condition was taken to a hospital for further evaluation as a precaution, Oaks Amusement Park said in a statement posted on social media. Medics released all other passengers.
AtmosFEAR operates like a pendulum, with the capacity to swing riders completely upside down.
Chris Ryan and his wife, from Gresham, were at the park for his birthday. He told The Associated Press in a Facebook message that they had just been planning to ride AtmosFEAR when they saw it was stuck and heard people saying, “Oh my God, they are upside down.”
They decided to walk away because of “how scary the situation was,” he said. They eventually got on the Ferris wheel and heard a loudspeaker announcement that the park was closed and that people should evacuate.
When the ride stopped, park staff immediately called 911 and emergency responders arrived about 25 minutes later, the park statement said. Park maintenance workers were able to return the ride to its unloading position minutes after first responders arrived.
Portland Fire said about 30 people were on board. The amusement park statement said there were 28 riders.
Ride closed until further notice
The ride has been in operation since 2021 and has not had any prior incidents, the park said. Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services’ reports of inspection on AtmosFEAR since 2021 — with the most recent inspection conducted in March this year — indicated “nothing noted at this time.” DCBS requires that an inspection be performed along with application for a new or renewed one-year permit to operate an amusement ride. AtmosFEAR’s current permit is set to expire in March 2025.
AtmosFEAR will remain closed until further notice. The park said it would work with the ride’s manufacturer and state inspectors to determine the cause of the stoppage.
“We wish to express our deepest appreciation to the first responders and our staff for taking prompt action, leading to a positive outcome today, and to the rest of the park guests who swiftly followed directions to vacate the park to make way for the emergency responders to attend to the situation,” it said.
Oaks Park first opened in 1905. Its website says it offers a “uniquely Portland blend of modern thrills and turn-of-the-century charm on a midway that has delighted generations of Northwesterners.”
Associated Press and OPB’s Tony Schick contributed to this story.