Oregon Ride Malfunction Leaves 30 People Stuck Upside Down

Emergency crews in Oregon rescued 30 people who were trapped upside down on a ride at Oaks Park. Oaks Park is one of the oldest amusement parks still operating in the United States. A significant incident on the AtmosFEAR ride in Portland led to this rescue. A jury awarded $550,000 to two teenagers involved in the malfunction on June 14, 2024.

This week, the jury decided 10-2 to grant $275,000 each to the affected teens. They took legal action against both Oaks Park and ride manufacturer Zamperla. During the incident, approximately 30 riders found themselves stranded when the pendulum-style ride stopped in a vertical orientation.

“At least 30 people were left hanging upside down at an amusement park in Portland, Ore., June 14, 2024.”

Portland Fire & Rescue teams worked alongside park engineers to manually lower the ride safely. This process took around 25 minutes, after which the riders were brought down and received medical evaluations. Oaks Park issued a statement following the jury’s decision, stressing their commitment to safety:

“While we agree that the ride should not have become stuck, we are grateful that all of the riders are safe, and this incident is now resolved. Safety is our top priority, and we will continue to work with ride manufacturers and state inspectors to ensure rider safety.”

The family of one teenager, identified as Evie, emphasized accountability as the motive for their lawsuit. According to the family, the incident resulted not only from a ride malfunction but also due to a lack of an effective safety plan. They highlighted the absence of a method to address an inverted ride position and the delay in having necessary tools on hand.

Family statements indicated the reliance on an external contact and first responders for resolution. Furthermore, they noted that Oaks Park had evacuated visitors without offering proper traffic control, complicating emergency response efforts.

The malfunction took place on the park’s first summer day, with videos showing riders suspended vertically while onlookers gathered below. Spokespersons for both Zamperla and Oaks Park did not immediately reply to inquiries regarding the incident.