Roller-Coaster Malfunction Leaves Passengers Stranded
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Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images(ORLANDO, Fla.) — A roller coaster malfunction left 12 passengers stranded high in the air at Universal Studios in Florida for approximately three hours until they could be rescued.
The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla., had a glitch that caused the computers to go into safety mode, which stopped the ride on Wednesday night, officials said, according to ABC News affiliate WFTV. Eventually, all riders were taken off and made their way down the emergency stairs.
Orlando Deputy Fire Chief Roderick McKenzie told ABC News Radio that one person was transported to an area hospital with “mental exhaustion” after three hours stuck in the vertical position.
“The ride was going in the up position at a 90-degree angle when it stopped,” McKenzie said. “It was just a long, tedious process to get everybody out and secure safely and to a safe platform so we could extricate them.”
The riders were shifted from a vertical position to make the rescue easier, according to WFTV.
This was not the first time that the Rip Ride Rockit malfunctioned. Something happened on the ride Aug. 1 that required it to stop, officials said.
In that incident, a guest sustained minor injuries as the vehicle was stopped, an official said. The woman was treated and released at the park.
The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit has a height of 167 feet, a length of 3,800 feet, and reaches a top speed of 65 miles per hour. The ride is touted as “adrenaline pumping and music thumping” on the park’s website, and has a feature that allows riders to pick a personalized song before riding.
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