A roller coaster with eight people on board got stuck almost 100 feet off the ground in Galveston, Texas, on Thursday, prompting an hourslong operation to bring the riders down.
The Iron Shark roller coaster at the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier malfunctioned close to the top of the structure, with its riders facing up, live video on local news channels showed. The ride features a 100-foot vertical climb before dropping.
The roller coaster stopped around 5 p.m., according to local media.
Firefighters arrived at the park around 5:30 p.m. to rescue the riders, all of whom were college students, said Chief Mike Varela Jr. of the Galveston Fire Department. The last rider was brought down shortly after 9 p.m., he said.
Local news stations showed firefighters working atop a tower truck’s ladder as the sun set. Later, they were seen slowly lowering the riders one at a time.
None of the riders were injured, though they were being checked for dehydration after being stuck in the sun for hours, Chief Varela said. It was unclear why the ride malfunctioned, he added.
Terry Turney, the chief operating officer of Pleasure Pier, said in a statement that the ride was designed to stop immediately in case it malfunctioned, as it did on Thursday.
“A thorough inspection of the ride will take place before it is placed back in service,” he said.
Pleasure Pier is one of Galveston Island’s best known tourist attractions.
Francesca Regalado is a Times reporter covering breaking news.
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