① Ride stopped 72 feet in the air
At a theme park in Canada, a ride suddenly stopped working 72 feet (22 meters) in the air, leaving passengers hanging upside down for 30 minutes. The incident happened at Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.
The ride, named Lumberjack, consists of two hydraulic machines shaped like axes that swing back and forth and suddenly rotate 360 degrees. Unfortunately, it stopped at the highest point, frightening the riders.
Witnesses at the amusement park captured the scene and shared it on social media. In the video, the riders can flail their legs while hanging upside down. When the ride stopped, a staff member asked through a megaphone, “Is everyone okay?” The riders collectively shouted back, “No.”
The maintenance team restarted the ride after about 30 minutes, and the riders safely returned to the ground. However, two passengers were hospitalized for shortness of breath and chest pain. One of the riders said, “All of us, including me, were in a state of panic. I even saw someone throwing up”. A 14-year-old child said, “It was hard to breathe as the blood rushed to my head. I might have died if I had been hanging there any longer”.
After the incident, many expressed concerns about the safety of the rides. Hanging upside down 72 feet in the air for 30 minutes seemed unbelievable and alarming. Theme park officials emphasized that it was not a malfunction of the ride.
② Similar incidents occurred in the past
This is not the first time a ride at Canada’s Wonderland has stopped working. In July 2021, a 360-degree rotating ride named Skyhawk stopped 135 feet (41 meters) in the air. The incident lasted for a few minutes, causing anxiety among the passengers. Theme park officials said, “The ride is operating normally, and safety is our top priority. We conduct daily tests on the rides”.
Canada’s Wonderland provides more than 26 million rides annually, and each ride has received technical safety approval. They added that the rides are inspected by the TSSA every year.
In August of last year, a fire broke out at the outdoor swimming pool of Canada’s Wonderland. The fire damaged one building and some rides. The fire started around 10:45 PM, burning the pump facilities and pool rides. Eight fire trucks were dispatched to put out the fire, and thankfully, there were no casualties. Fire officials said they were investigating whether the fire was related to the fireworks display at Wonderland, but no cause was identified immediately after the fire.
③ Canada’s first large-scale theme park
Canada’s Wonderland opened in 1981 and is Canada’s first large-scale theme park. It offers a variety of attractions, including 17 types of roller coasters and unique rides you can’t find anywhere else. In particular, Canada’s Wonderland is famous for having the world’s most thrilling roller coasters.
If you are a roller coaster enthusiast, you can have the time of your life at Canada’s Wonderland. The famous roller coaster at the park, The Yukon Striker, is the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest diving roller coaster. It features a course that dives under a pond and into a tunnel, designed with a late 19th-century gold rush theme.
The Yukon Striker is a must-ride for thrill-seekers, with a track length of 3,625 feet (1104 meters) and a top speed of 81 mph (130 km/h). The Yukon Striker descends 246 feet at a 90-degree angle at a speed of 81 mph, passing through an underwater tunnel. After that, it makes four rotations on a 3,625-foot track. It’s the only diving coaster with a 360-degree roll. Even just hearing about it gives an exhilarating feeling.
The Yukon Striker’s ride time is approximately 3 minutes and 25 seconds, with 24 people able to ride in three rows at a time. The seats flip and rotate, causing intense fear with steep drops and mid-air spins. It’s among the most popular rides at Wonderland among its various roller coasters. In addition to The Yukon Striker, the ‘Behemoth,’ Canada’s second-largest roller coaster, and the ‘Leviathan,’ which races down a steep slope at 92 mph, are also famous.
By. Han Mia
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