Eight passengers were trapped upside down for several hours on Sunday when a roller coaster at the Forest County Festival in Wisconsin malfunctioned.
Event details: The roller coaster named “Fireball” stopped in midair due to a mechanical failure as it was sliding down from its vertical loop.
* The local fire department and rescue squad responded to the scene within 15 minutes of the incident.
* The rescue operation required special equipment, including three ladder trucks, with one capable of rising over 100 feet.
* An off-duty firefighter with specialized rope rescue training happened to be at the festival and assisted with the rescue operation.
Rescue operation: Despite the quick response, the complexity of the roller coaster’s safety system and the need for specialized equipment resulted in a long rescue time.
* The first passenger was brought to the ground approximately two hours after the roller coaster got stuck.
* It took a further hour and 40 minutes to rescue all remaining passengers.
Eye-witness account: One festival-goer reported that five of the passengers appeared to be children and commended a young girl who insisted an older man be rescued first as he had passed out.
* Once safely on the ground, passengers received treatment from teams from nine ambulances.
* One passenger had to be transported to a nearby hospital.
Looking further: The cause of the mechanical failure is unknown and is being investigated.
* The ride operator claimed the ride had been inspected by state authorities on site, in compliance with standard safety procedure.
* This incident occurred just days after another roller coaster in North Carolina was closed for abnormal-looking repairs.
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