Firefighters inthe United States have rescued 24 people who were stuck on a broken roller coaster at an amusement park for five hours.
Prince George's County fire officials rescued 17 adults and seven children from The Joker's Jinx roller coaster at Six Flags America in Maryland.
Assistant fire chief Paul Gomez says the riders were sitting upright near the top of the ride. A few had cramps, back pain and dehydration, but there were no major injuries.
A Six Flags America spokesman said it is not yet clear what caused the ride to stop but that it has a computerised safety system that “performed as it is designed to”.
Six Flags’ website says the ride goes from 0 to 60m/ph (96km/ph) in three seconds and goes upside down four times.
“This convoluted beast will twist you until you don’t know which way is up”. The site says riders will “wind back and forth over 30 dizzying vertical curves and 25 zigzagging horizontal turns, plus somersault through four upside-down loops.”
The theme park is some 25km east of Washinton DC and covers 523 acres.
PA