Rollercoaster emergency as beam falls on track in 'big bang' leaving people 'stuck'

A rollercoaster at West Midlands Safari Park was abruptly shut down after a structural beam fell onto the track, leaving thrill-seekers 'stuck' for around 30 minutes and necessitating a rescue operation. The incident occurred at 3.25pm on October 25, during a ride on Monkey Mayhem.

It is believed that a metal beam from the structure of the ride fell onto the track, prompting an emergency halt to the ride's operation. At the scene, Regal Smith, 27, who was visiting the park with their child, described the chaos as people allegedly began 'screaming' and 'running away' from the attraction.

They witnessed two individuals, appearing to be a mother and son, trapped on the ride until they were safely brought down by a rescue team half an hour later. "The ride was visibly shaking as the carts went round," they said.

"I was next in queue for the ride, heard a bang, one of the main beams from the ride dislodged and obstructed the track. Then there was a big bang as the metal beam dislodged and clanged against the metal track.

"Everyone started screaming and running away from the ride including the people in the queue. A climber went up to look at the damage and a rescue team came too. The piece is dislodged, it's clear to see. It looks like it's a case of the bolt coming out."

In response to the event, a spokesperson from West Midlands Safari Park said: "We can confirm that on Friday 25 October at 3:25pm, a support beam became partially detached on our Monkey Mayhem ride. Our ride operator performed an emergency stop and two guests were safely evacuated in under 30 minutes, in line with our procedures. There were no reported injuries, and first aid assistance was offered but not required. We have also kept in touch with those involved.

"The safety of our guests remains of the utmost importance, and as a precaution, the Monkey Mayhem ride was closed whilst checks were carried out. We plan on reopening the ride as soon as possible."

Despite claims that people were 'running and screaming', CCTV footage reportedly proves this was not the case and the situation was calm and well-managed.