Almost two dozen riders were stranded and four hurt when a roller coaster at the Six Flags Magic Mountain in California hit an overhanging tree branch and sent the front car off track.
The riders were left 20-to-30 feet in the air for hours, while emergency responders and park authorities worked to safely bring the cars to the ground, The Associated Press reported.
“We were going across one turn and all of a sudden a loud noise happened,” said Jeremy Ead, one of the injured riders, to the local KCAL-TV. “I ducked down just in time. A hard branch hit me in the head. I was there bleeding from my head.”
Two of the four who were hurt were transported to the hospital for treatment, AP said. All the injuries were minor.
Michael Pittman, a Los Angeles Country Fire Department dispatch supervisor, said it took three hours to rescue all 22 of the riders. Park officials have shut down the ride, pending an investigation.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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