Emergency crews in Oregon successfully rescued 30 people trapped upside down on a ride at Oaks Park. This park is among the oldest amusement parks operating continuously in the United States.
A jury has awarded $550,000 to two teenage girls who were left hanging upside down for nearly 30 minutes when a ride malfunctioned at the park. The jury’s decision, reached by a 10-2 vote, granted each teenager $275,000 in their case against Oaks Park and ride manufacturer Zamperla. The incident took place on the AtmosFEAR ride in Portland in June 2024, as reported by FOX 12 Oregon.
When the spinning pendulum-style ride became stuck in a vertical position on June 14, 2024, about 30 riders found themselves stranded upside down. Portland Fire & Rescue teams, collaborating with park engineers, manually lowered the ride. After approximately 25 minutes, all riders were safely brought down and medically evaluated.
Oaks Park issued a statement to FOX 12 following the court verdict, acknowledging that the ride should not have malfunctioned but expressing gratitude for the riders’ safety. The statement emphasized their commitment to rider safety and collaboration with manufacturers and state inspectors to uphold safety standards.
The lawsuit filed by the family of one of the teens, Evie, aimed to hold the park accountable. Oaks Park’s lack of a safety plan and inadequate tools to address the malfunction contributed to the crisis. They needed to call a 1-800 number to figure out the issue and relied on first responders to arrive with necessary tools. The park’s evacuation further complicated the situation by delaying the entry of emergency responders.
The malfunction occurred on the park’s first day of the summer season. Video captured riders suspended vertically as onlookers gathered below.
A request for comment from Zamperla and Oaks Park spokespersons by Fox News Digital was not immediately returned. Brittany Miller, reporting for Fox News Digital, is a breaking news writer and former journalist from Syracuse University.