I have said it before, and I will say it again: I am not a huge fan of amusement park rides. This statement, of course, excludes Disney World, because that place is magical. All other amusement parks, however, seem utterly terrifying to me. The thought of willingly climbing onto a metal death trap that flings me through the air has never been appealing to me. While it does not appeal to me, many others find this sort of experience exhilarating. However, I am sure that these riders were not loving their most recent experience at Six Flags after a ride had a terrifying malfunction. That malfunction left the riders stranded for an hour on the amusement park ride.
Riders Stranded For An Hour On Six Flags Ride After Terrifying Malfunction
Getty images by Alberto Menendez Cervero
Six Flags has many thrilling rides. One fan favorite is the SteamWhirler. According to their website, this ride "sends riders orbiting with four rotating arms that are synchronized by a central gearing system." Additionally, "each rotation will provide a pop of airtime that will float you out of your seat." Sounds exciting, right? I am sure it can be, except not when it gets stuck in mid-air. That is precisely what happened to riders at the Bowie, Maryland, park on Saturday. The ride stopped due to a mechanical malfunction, which Six Flags addressed in a statement to People Magazine. The spokesperson admitted that "one of our rides did not complete its typical cycle and paused before returning to the ground." What a nice way to describe the terrifying ride malfunction.
Luckily for all of those stuck on board, one of the riders was quick to act. They dialed 911 and explained the situation. Emergency crews from Prince George's County Fire, EMS, and Six Flags staff all helped with unloading the passengers from the ride. However, those riders were stranded for an hour before they were safely placed back on the ground. Fortunately, all riders did make it safely back on the ground in one piece. The amusement park maintained confidence when they explained that their staff are trained to handle these situations. Furthermore, while EMS did assist with a medical call while on the property, it was unrelated to the ride malfunction.
Everyone who was stranded for an hour in the air was cleared by EMS and went on with their day with nothing more than a horrible memory. The ride is currently closed, pending an inspection.
