Riders stuck on 17-story-high swings at amusement park, Colorado officials say

A “stalled ride” stranded visitors to a Denver amusement park in midair, Colorado firefighters reported.

The incident took place at Elitch Gardens on Saturday, April 26, the Denver Fire Department said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Firefighters responded to the amusement park but were ultimately not needed as operators were able to slowly lower the Star Flyers ride so visitors could get off, the agency said.

No injuries were reported.

The 17-story-high ride swings riders at up to 50 mph, Elitch Gardens said.

About 40 people were stuck on the ride for 45 minutes, KDVR reported.

“Issue occurred at park close. The ride will go through a thorough safety inspection, as we do all rides daily. No one was evacuated from the park,” Elitch Gardens told the station in a statement.

Elitch Gardens, a combination water and theme park, has “54 rides, slides and attractions,” according to the park. It is open from April to October each year.

The park began in 1890 as a zoological park, with P.T. Barnum among the opening day guests, the park said.

This story was originally published April 27, 2025 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Riders stuck on 17-story-high swings at amusement park, Colorado officials say."