A ride on Panama City Beach remains closed, following an incident that left two people trapped for hours so high that they had to be rescued by a crane.
According to Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection, a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services agency, the hydraulic pump failed causing Cobra Adventure's Wild Thang ride to stop.
"The statutes require, if the ride has been down for more than four hours, it has to be reported within eight to the Department of Agriculture using our hotline," says Allan Harrison with the Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection. "They called us three or four hours into the ordeal, so they were way ahead of the reporting time."
The agency inspects all rides twice a year with periodic unannounced inspections.
News 13 pulled the inspection reports from this ride, along with the affidavit of compliance, permit applications, and certification of insurance, all from the last three years. All the records show the ride is in compliance.
"I look back in the history, and I don't remember anything quite like this on these types of rides in Florida. And I've been here almost 20 years," says Harrison.
Fair Rides Inspection says there is a stop operation order in effect until the ride is fixed and re-inspected. Cobra Adventure Park declined to comment.
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