A Universal roller coaster got stuck on Wednesday night, leaving several passengers suspended high above the ground for several hours.
Those who got on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit weren't expecting to spend hours on the ride at Universal Orlando. However a technical glitch left the ride doing just that, according to CNN.
The roller coaster typically stops at the 140 ft mark above the ground. However the ride, which towers 17 stories above the park, was supposed to keep going. Yet it wouldn't budge at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The front cars were a bit closer to level, with a view over the hill, but other passengers were left sitting straight back with no way to move.
There were 12 riders on the coaster. Most were able to to taken off safely, but 10 riders remained for more than two hours. The Orlando Fire Department was called in to remove the other stranded riders about two and a half hours later.
One of the riders had to be hospitalized as she complained of neck and back pain. Park officials say that similar incidents have happened.
"We're happy that our guests are safely off Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. We'll find out what happened and will open the ride as soon as we can," Universal tweeted.
The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit opened in 2009. In 2012, it was shut down for a month because the manufacturer issued a warning about the ride's safety bars. It was shut down again in August for a few days after a rider suffered a minor injury.
On the Universal website, the park describes the ride as the tallest roller coaster in the park . It has peak 65 mph speeds and has a "record breaking loop" among other twists and turns.
Park officials say they're trying to determine what caused the problem before the ride is reopened.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
