Viral Video: A school fair in Los Angeles has turned into a nightmare when a ride broke down and some people were trapped in the air. The event took place in the “Electric Illusion: Nocturnal Carnival” that was hosted at Bishop Conaty — Our Lady of the Loretto High School in the Pico-Union / Harvard Heights area.
The ride, which is called The Zipper, suddenly collapsed. The video reveals that one carriage is almost losing its control, wobbling, and hitting the neighbouring compartments. In the video, one carriage falls on the ground, and others hang in the air. The first responders acted quickly.
A witness told ABC7 that riders were trapped up to an hour before being rescued, but no serious injuries were reported. The school is under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which claimed that the ride was operated by a third party and praised emergency services workers, who responded quickly. They also confirmed that the event was going as planned, and that the security of everybody involved is their number one priority.
As per the FOX 11 reports, the malfunction happened on September 26 in the evening carnival. According to the reports, one of the residents stated that the ride had previously exhibited signs of complication and had to be repaired prior to its re-opening.
With the authorities actively investigating the malfunction, questions about the responsibility of operators, maintenance standards and emergency readiness are also being raised with regard to events with children and families.
Zipper's History
Joseph Brown invented the Zipper in 1968 under the name Chance Rides in Wichita, Kansas, and it was patented under 3,596,905 in 1971. The ride's fundamental design was inspired by an earlier ride named The Swooper, which debuted in 1928 and featured a succession of cars being pushed along a cable around a circular structure. The main distinction between the Swooper and the Zipper was the Zipper's frame's ability to twist as the vehicles travelled down it via cable.
