19 people rescued after ride at Washington State Fair stopped in mid-air

Nineteen people were left dangling in their seats Monday after a ride at the Washington State Fair malfunctioned.

The “El Nino” ride stopped moving about 6 p.m., leaving some people hanging upside down.

Within 10 minutes, Central Pierce firefighters got everybody off the ride without injuries.

The ride will remain out of service until mechanics inspect it and an investigation into what caused it to malfunction is complete, Puyallup police and fair officials said.

Every ride goes through at least three rotations to ensure it is working properly before the fair opens each day, spokeswoman Stacy Van Horne said, adding that rides are also checked on throughout the day.

Although there were no injuries, there were plenty of scared guests.

“It just kept going around in circles on its side. That’s when we knew something was wrong,” Augustina Boyer-Redman told KING-5. “All of us, the whole group, was talking to each other, trying to calm everybody down.”

Funtastic Traveling Shows, which owns the “El Nino” ride, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The fair is closed until Thursday.

This story was originally published September 4, 2018 at 8:05 AM with the headline "19 people rescued after ride at Washington State Fair stopped in mid-air."