Video shows crews rescue riders stuck on roller coaster at Washington State Fair
It’s many fairgoers’ nightmare: A roller coaster you’re riding malfunctions and suddenly, you’re stuck.
Video circulating on social media shows three harnessed ride operators working together to rescue passengers stuck on the Wildcat roller coaster Friday, Sept. 1, at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup. They pushed a car stuck on a slope so that it could glide to the finish.
All passengers were safely taken down and evaluated by medics from Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, fair spokesperson Stacy Van Horne said Tuesday, Sept. 5.
Van Horne confirmed that two cars made contact at one point.
The ride opened back up again Sunday morning, Sept. 3, after going through multiple tests to ensure its safety, Van Horne said. She said crews were still investigating what happened.
“All our rides go through rigorous and multiple testing before we open each day,” Van Horn said. “This is one ride that also gets shut down during rain. So it might appear broke down, but it is not.”
One of the fair’s social media posts from 2020 says the Wildcat was installed in 1985.
“[The Wildcat has] been there a long time, it’s a fan favorite,” Van Horn said. “It’s one of our permanent rides.”
Bystander Diana Johnson took the video of the rescue that’s been circulating on social media.
Johnson, from Auburn, was walking with two of her kids toward the Wildcat to get in line when she noticed operators, high up, pushing the cart. After the passengers came down, Johnson asked them about what happened.
“They told me it had crashed into the car in front of them,” Johnson said. “It looked like they were in shock.”
Johnson said passengers she spoke to were worried about a girl and her father in the front of the car that was rescued.
“She was crying that her neck hurt and was really scared,” Johnson said.
Her father consoled the girl after they got down, hugging and reassuring her.
The fair is an important event for Johnson and her family. Her first date with her husband was at the fair and she takes her kids to opening day every year.
Johnson experienced a ride malfunction firsthand at the fair in 2019, she said, when she and her son got stuck on a pirate ride. Johnson said she got her tickets refunded, but never learned what happened.
This story was originally published September 5, 2023 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Video shows crews rescue riders stuck on roller coaster at Washington State Fair."
