This is a red flag for a theme park.
Thrill seekers at Six Flags America were in for quite the ride over the weekend: Thirty-two people got stuck on the SteamWhirler ride at the Bowie, Maryland park for more than an hour due to a mechanical malfunction on Saturday.
One passenger called 911 after the ride unexpectedly stopped midway, stranding parkgoers on the tracks.
Emergency crews from Prince George’s County Fire and EMS (PGFD) were dispatched to the amusement park and arrived at 3:25 p.m. to assist in the rescue operation.
All riders were safely evacuated, evaluated at the scene, and cleared by EMS personnel.
The SteamWhirler, described by the park as a “moderate thrill” attraction, features four rotating arms, each carrying up to eight passengers, and has been a popular draw since its 2024 debut.
On Saturday, however, the ride wasn’t a fan favorite when it abruptly halted mid-cycle.
Six Flags America confirmed in a statement to People that the SteamWhirler “did not complete its typical cycle and paused before returning to the ground.” The park emphasized that all guests were safely unloaded without injury, and that safety remains “a cornerstone” of its operations.
Though PGFD assisted with evaluations during the hot August afternoon, Six Flags clarified that park staff handled the actual unloading. “Our team is trained for these types of situations,” a spokesperson said.
However, while on-site, EMS personnel assisted a separate guest who experienced a medical emergency unrelated to the ride incident. That individual was transported to a hospital with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening.
The ride will remain closed pending a full inspection.
The incident comes as Six Flags America nears the end of its nearly 50-year run. The park is scheduled to close permanently on November 2, after 51 years of operation — 26 of those under the Six Flags name — due to financial reasons.
“D-mn. They can’t even go out with a bang with a lil good publicity shut that joint down tonight,” someone wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“You might f-ck around and be on final destination lol,” another commented.
“Yikes, getting stuck on a ride for an hour sounds like a nightmare,” someone else chimed in.
Saturday’s incident adds to a growing list of operational issues reported across amusement parks nationwide, reigniting conversations about ride safety as the summer season continues.
Just this summer, riders were stuck upside down for 10 minutes on ‘North America’s tallest, longest and fastest tilt coaster’ on opening day, Cedar Point’s ‘Siren’s Curse’ rollercoaster broke down for the 4th time since opening, forcing riders to scale down 160-foot tall curve, and an amusement park ride snapped in half, injuring more than 20 — just to name a few incidents.
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