Fourteen thrillseekers were left suspended in the air for two hours after a fairground ride abruptly malfunctioned at the Valdespartera Fairground in Zaragoza, Spain.
The park visitors found themselves stranded 59 feet (18 meters) above the ground when the ride’s safety system detected a technical fault and automatically shut down at around 1:30 am.
Firefighters were promptly called to the scene on 13 October, where they used a fire engine crane to rescue the passengers.
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Following strict height-safety protocols, the firefighting team worked methodically, securing each rider in a safety harness before lowering them safely back to the ground one by one.
The rescue came just days after firefighters had been training for such scenarios in preparation for the city’s annual Fiestas del Pilar, according to VKNews24.
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the ride’s breakdown, but footage of the incident has already gone viral on TikTok, amassing 1.3 million views and numerous comments.
One local, Marta Huguet, revealed that she was the one who called the fire brigade.
While another remarked, “I was going to go on it the other day, but it looked a little unreliable.”
Another commenter, Jonathan, noted that the same ride had broken down in Barakaldo a few years ago, and footage of that incident is available on YouTube.
One of the passengers, Javi, recounted his terrifying experience: “I was there, I thought I was going to die, thank goodness Marina called the fire department.”
The incident occurred during Zaragoza’s annual Fiestas del Pilar, held between 5 and 13 October.
The popular festival, which honors the city’s patron saint, Our Lady of the Pillar, draws tens of thousands of visitors and features traditional music events, cultural activities, and religious parades.
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