A jury has awarded $550,000 to two teenage girls who experienced a malfunction on an amusement park ride in Oregon, leaving them hanging upside down for nearly 30 minutes. The jury's decision, made with a 10-2 vote, grants each teen $275,000 in their lawsuit against Oaks Park and ride manufacturer Zamperla, following the incident on June 14, 2024, involving the AtmosFEAR ride in Portland.
Approximately 30 riders were stranded when the ride became stuck in a vertical position. Portland Fire & Rescue crews responded and worked with park engineers to manually lower the ride, successfully bringing the riders down after about 25 minutes. Following the incident, Oaks Park issued a statement expressing gratitude for the safety of the riders and reaffirming their commitment to safety.
The family of one of the teens stated that the lawsuit aimed to hold the park accountable, criticizing the lack of a safety plan and the delay in rescue efforts. They noted that the park did not have the necessary tools or knowledge to address the situation promptly, which they believe exacerbated the crisis. The malfunction occurred on the first day of the summer season for the park.