State inspectors are investigating a ride malfunction at Knott’s Berry Farm that left nearly two dozen thrill seekers stranded in the air for more than two hours when a six-story thrill ride suddenly stopped working.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating the Knott’s Berry Farm ride malfunction, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.
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The Sol Spin ride experienced technical difficulties and stopped mid-cycle on Monday, Nov. 18 with 22 riders on board, according to Knott’s Berry Farm officials.
All riders were safely evacuated after 2 1/2 hours.
A person is taken out of Knott’s Berry Farm on a gurney after 22 people were stuck on the Sol Spin ride for two hours in Buena Park, CA, on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two riders who were transported to the hospital for further evaluation out of an abundance of caution were treated and released without being admitted, according to Knott’s officials.
Sol Spin will undergo inspection before reopening, according to Knott’s officials. The Knott’s maintenance crew is currently working to determine the cause of the technical difficulties with Sol Spin, according to park officials. A reopening date for the ride has not been announced.
Sol Spin thrill ride in the refreshed Fiesta Village themed land at Knott’s Berry Farm. (Photo by Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The 65-foot-tall ride Sol Spin ride manufactured by Netherlands-based Mondial Rides opened in 2017 at the Buena Park theme park.
The ride spins in three directions, sending riders flipping head-over-heels as their gondola whirls like a propeller blade and a support arm rotates like a second hand on a clock.
Sol Spin riders sit in freely rotating gondolas attached to a counterclockwise-rotating arm that makes an oval arc through the air. The floorless coaster-like seats with over-the-shoulder restraints allow riders to dangle their feet and arms as centrifugal force causes the gondolas to rock back and forth.
Knott’s gives Sol Spin its most intense thrill level rating.