A teen described her nightmarish experience after she and her boyfriend, along with 26 other people, were hanging upside down for 20 minutes on a ride last week at Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon.
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The incident occurred around 2:55 p.m. on Friday, June 15, when the AtmosFEAR ride suddenly stopped, leaving Jordan Harding,18, and her 17-year-old boyfriend hanging upside down at the highest loop. According to PEOPLE, Harding said they realized the severity of the situation and thought they were going to die on the ride. Additionally, there were younger passengers on the ride, reportedly eighth graders, who visited the amusement park for an event with Portland Public Schools. Harding also said that ride operators initially delayed contacting park maintenance, believing the ride would resume on its own.
Ride operators contacted 911 after realizing the ride wasn’t budging, and Harding said she panicked after hearing the park was closing due to the incident. She later learned that the fire department had prepared to use ropes for a rescue, but park maintenance managed to manually swing the ride back into motion, bringing all passengers safely to the ground.
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Although Harding doesn’t believe the park should be shut down, she thinks the ride should be removed after the nightmarish incident.
“I would not go on the ride again or back to the park just because of the emotional distress of it all. I do feel lucky to be alive. When you’re about to lose your life you gain a new outlook on life allowing you to enjoy every day a little more.”
The park said that the ride will remain closed until further notice due to the incident.
