Watch AZ Firefighters Rescue 22 Trapped on Roller Coaster

Phoenix and Glendale technical rescue teams used a high-angle belay system to lower riders to the ground after a coaster stalled 20 feet above the ground.
May 17, 2021

Crews rescued 22 people trapped on an amusement park roller coaster that had stalled 20 feet in the air over the weekend.

The incident happened shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday on the Desert Storm ride at Castles N' Coasters in Phoenix, KPHO-TV reports. The roller coaster was going over a horizontal loop when it stalled and became stuck.

Phoenix and Glendale technical rescue teams responded to the incident, according to the Phoenix Fire Department. They set up a high-angle belay system, and riders were placed in special harnesses to safely lower riders to the ground.

It took firefighters around 90 minutes to extricate all the riders, and no injuries were reported. It's not clear what caused the coaster to stall, according to KPHO.

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