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Ferris Wheel Stuck at Wyoming County Fair

MESHOPPEN TOWNSHIP — The Ferris wheel at the Wyoming County Fair became stuck Sunday evening, according to people at the fairgrounds near Meshoppen. The F...

MESHOPPEN TOWNSHIP -- The Ferris wheel at the Wyoming County Fair became stuck Sunday evening, according to people at the fairgrounds near Meshoppen.

The Ferris wheel became stuck around 5:30 p.m. Crews used ladder trucks and spent more than three hours getting the dozens of people off the ride. Pictures sent to Newswatch 16 showed the rescue effort.

ferris-wheel-rescue

Tony Bennett had a daughter on the ride. "It's been a long time. It's been since 5:30, and it's been hot. There are a lot of little kids up there."

Pat Detrick, who had a granddaughter on the Ferris wheel, said, "We were sitting with our back to the ride when we heard a big clunk and it just stopped, and they have been up there for, what, two hours."

"We don't have anybody hurt now," said Gene Dziak, Wyoming County's Director of Emergency Management. "We don't want anyone hurt, so the operation will continue until we get everyone out."

While some passengers rode down in buckets, all eyes were on six-year-old Natalie Evans as she left her grandfather in the sky and climbed 65 feet down a ladder without flinching.

"I was brave," said Natalie, "because I didn't look  down. I looked at the steps....They tied a rope to me so I didn't fall."

Investigators from the state are expected to look into what went wrong with the Ferris wheel.

Labor Day is the last day for this year's Wyoming County Fair.

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