CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Several riders were stuck on the Electro-Spin at Carowinds for almost 30 minutes before being safely removed on Friday, Oct. 27.
A spokesperson for Carowinds said the ride, located in Carowinds' County Fair area, "experienced a short delay due to its built-in safety mechanisms responding as designed."
This kind of precautionary stoppage is put in place to ensure guest safety, according to the spokesperson.
The ride halted at around 9:47 p.m.
The park said its maintenance team "promptly addressed the situation" and had safely assisted guests off the ride by 10:16 p.m.
The ride freeze happened months after the park made national headlines when a crack was discovered on the popular roller coaster, Fury 325.
Fury has since been fixed.
"The safety and security of our guests is always our top priority. We take many steps and measures to ensure the safety of our guests at the park and that our rides are maintained and operating as expected," a Carowinds spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
These safety steps include daily inspections of every ride by staff and annual inspections from North Carolina Department of Labor's Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau, the spokesperson said.
Carowinds' mechanics and electricians conduct empty test runs of the rides each morning to make sure the rides and their systems are functioning properly.
Before opening the gates each day, park staff runs the coasters and other attractions with a test rider onboard.
Carowinds says the rides also undergo regular inspections in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines, which include weekly, monthly and annual inspections.
"Our rides maintenance staff undertake a thorough inspection of each ride at these intervals, checking numerous elements, depending on the ride," the spokesperson said, adding, "These range from inspecting restraint systems and ride structures to ride control and drive systems and many more."
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