WEST SPRINGFIELD — Authorities say more than a dozen people were stuck for as long as two hours on a ride that malfunctioned at a Massachusetts fair.
No one was hurt when the ride called Wipeout malfunctioned at The Big E in West Springfield on Thursday night.
Firefighters used a ladder truck to rescue the 14 riders, most of whom were children.
Jennifer Battles tells westernmassnews.com she was watching her daughter when she heard a “funny grinding sound,” and the ride stopped.
All rides are inspected daily. Wipeout will be closed for the remainder of the fair.
The 17-day event is known as the largest fair in the Northeast and attracted more than 1.3 million visitors last year. This is its 100th anniversary.
The Big E released a statement Friday morning:
On September 29 at approximately 7:30 p.m. a ride at The Big E (Eastern States Exposition) became stuck in the upright position. The West Springfield Fire Department ladder truck was brought in and riders were taken off the ride one at a time. There were no injuries. The operation took approximately 90 minutes. The ride, named the “Wipeout,” spins on the ground then lifts up. Ride was stuck at a 45 degree angle, the highest point approximately 18-20 feet off the ground, the lower part of the ride at ground level. There were 14 riders evacuated. No further information is available at this time.
