Chennai: A fun evening at an amusement park near Chennai in Tamil Nadu turned into a nightmare for 36 people, including children, on Tuesday evening, after a ride got stuck mid-air. It was three hours before they were rescued with the help of sky-lifts.
The ride they were on is named ‘Top Gun’. It lifts the occupants of a ‘gondola’ to a height and then revolves a full circle, before bringing them down. On Tuesday evening, when the ‘gondola’ was at its highest point, there was a loud noise and all movement stopped.
A team of about 35 rescuers from the fire and rescue services department along with the local police reached the spot and began rescue operations. The fire department brought in two vehicle-mounted sky-lifts from Guindy that are capable of rescuing people from high-rises up to 150 feet from the ground.
“Rescue operations started around 8.30 pm after the sky-lift arrived. There was panic among those who took the ride. Some of them had relatives and friends on the ground who started to panic as well. There was total chaos. Fortunately, the ‘gondola’ remained stable and there was no risk of any occupant falling out,” a rescuer said.
Preliminary inquiry has revealed that the ride was poorly maintained and had pre-existing mechanical issues that were overlooked by the operators. Apparently, one of the engines failed and there was no back-up system. Fire department personnel provided biscuits and water to those trapped on the ride before bringing them down safely one at a time. Medical teams were available at the team to provide assistance.
”We got a call at 7.20 pm that 36 people were stuck in a fun ride called ‘Top Gun’. After our initial attempts to rescue them with a ladder failed, we engaged two sky-lifts to safely bring them down,” District Fire Officer Loganathan said.
None of those stuck were injured though ambulances were available to handle any situation. The rescue operations lasted over one-and-a-half hours. An inquiry has been ordered and the ride has been closed down.
