North Carolina State Fair ride malfunctions, leaving passengers stranded 100 feet in the air
Passengers were left suspended 100 feet in the air after a fairground ride came to an abrupt stop at the North Carolina State Fair.
The Vertigo swing ride suddenly halted on Thursday, October 16, after a “low voltage fault,” according to John Wesley Waugh, Director of Communications for the North Carolina Department of Labour.
Mr Waugh told People the electrical fault automatically triggered the ride’s emergency stop mechanism, describing it as a built-in safeguard.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“The ride came to a controlled stop, allowing for the safe and timely manual evacuation of all patrons,” he said.
“At no point was anyone at risk.”
He added that the precaution was carried out “exactly as intended.”
The towering Vertigo attraction spins riders in open-air swings high above the fairgrounds, offering sweeping views — until, in this case, the rotation froze mid-air.
Footage obtained by WRAL News shows anxious passengers dangling at the top as the ride hung motionless against the evening sky.
“All I could think was ‘we’re going to drop,’” rider Hannah Norris told the outlet.
“I just started praying. Me and my son, we just started saying a prayer.”
The stall came hours after inspectors with the North Carolina Department of Labour had conducted checks on nearly 100 rides ahead of the fair’s opening that same day, according to WRAL.
It remains unclear how long passengers were stranded before the ride was manually restarted and brought back to ground level.
The company that owns Vertigo told WRAL that riders affected by the malfunction have since been offered a complimentary ride in apology for the ordeal.
