Ingram Publishing/iStock/Thinkstock(UPPER MARLBORO, Md.) — Emergency responders rescued 20 people stuck on a stalled roller coaster at Six Flags America in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, fire officials said Thursday.
Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department Chief Spokesperson Mark Brady wrote on Twitter that the two dozen riders were “upright” and that no one appeared to be in distress.
Video from the scene showed a ladder from a fire truck being extended to transport the passengers safely to the ground.
PGFD video from scene at @SixFlagsDC High Angle Rescue. Everybody is doing good on board stalled car. Rescues starting. pic.twitter.com/aStBHoeMAf
— Mark Brady (@PGFDPIO) April 13, 2017
“Joker’s Jinx did not complete its regular ride cycle causing it to stop at a safe location on the track,” Six Flags America told ABC News in a statement. “The Prince George’s County Fire Department is onsite to assist in getting the riders safely off the ride. The safety of our guests is our highest priority and the ride will be closed for a thorough inspection before re-opening.”
Six Flags America said the ride stopped in a “safe position” and that “all riders” were safe in a tweet on its official Twitter account.
The plan is to remove children first. The first adult and 2 children are in the safety of our bucket and being prepared to be lowered PGFD pic.twitter.com/NFcSdZa4BV
— Mark Brady (@PGFDPIO) April 13, 2017
A similar incident occurred on the same ride — the Joker’s Jinx — in 2014, when passengers were stuck 75 feet above the ground for nearly five hours.
No one was injured in the 2014 incident. At the time, Six Flags said the ride has a computerized safety system that can cause the ride to stop if there is a problem detected.
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