Ferris wheel riders at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida got a thrill from a ride that’s not usually considered a “thrill ride.”
At around 6:20 pm on Saturday evening, the Ferris wheel ride at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida suddenly lost power. There were 62 frightened and stranded people inside 20 of the cabins of the 400-foot ride at the time of the incident.
The incident was extra scary due to an accident that happened at the same theme park in March, when a
14-year-old boy fell off another ride, the FreeFall, and died.
According to Orange County Fire and Rescue Department, they received a call about a power failure and responded to the scene. More than 80 firefighters assisted the victims of the incident. Public Information Officer Ashley Gipson said that the rescue took three hours since firefighters had to manually turn the wheel to rescue each cabin individually. Luckily, no one was injured.
Sparks were seen coming from one part of the ride, which was captured on video taken by park visitors. Robin Baker, one of the riders, confirmed he saw fire, sparks, and smoke at the lower part of the ride.
The ICON Park Ferris wheel has been open since 2015. It took three years to construct. According to a park spokesperson, the ride will be closed for inspection and maintenance. An announcement will be posted on the park’s website and social media accounts when it is back in operation.