A group of festivalgoers in Wisconsin got more than they bargained for when a ride malfunctioned at the Forest County Festival in Crandon.
The rollercoaster known as the Fireball lost power and shut down mid-ride with its passengers stuck upside down.
The ride stopped with eight riders aboard and in the middle of a loop that flipped riders upside down, leaving some stranded in the inverted position for at least two hours.
The last passenger was retrieved after spending about 3 ½ hours trapped on the loop.
“Due to the height of the ride, specialized technical rescue teams and mutual aid equipment were needed to remove riders from the ride,” Crandon Fire Chief Brennan Cook said, according to The Independent.
One of the passengers was taken to a nearby hospital. The others were treated by medical personnel on site.
Responders from three nearby districts were involved in the rescue, including a ladder truck with a 100-foot platform from the Antigo Fire Department that eventually was able to reach the riders.
“Our department has never experienced a situation like we did yesterday,” Erica Kostichka of Antigo Fire/EMS told WAOW.
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