The Wheel at ICON Park will close for several days following New Year’s Eve sudden stoppage
The Wheel at ICON Park will close for several days to address a power outage issue that froze the ride on New Year’s Eve, a spokesperson at ICON Park said.
The sudden stoppage took place Saturday evening and resulted in a rescue mission that retrieved more than 60 people who were stuck on the ride.
“The Wheel is expected to be closed for the next few days,” the spokesperson said in an email. “The technical team is conducting maintenance on The Wheel and, as per our protocols, the attraction will be reviewed by Florida state ride inspectors prior to reopening.
At 6:30 p.m., the Orange County Fire Rescue sent more than a dozen fire engines to the scene Saturday. By around 8 p.m. rescue crew members had begun removing people from the ride.
Witnesses took to social media after the ride stopped, with one witness on Twitter describing seeing a “shower of sparks” raining from the side of the Wheel.
The stoppage comes as ICON Park and its partners have been scrutinized after 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death while riding the Orlando Free Fall in March.
On that ride, the Florida Department of Agriculture accused Orlando Slingshot, the company that owns the ride which operated in ICON Park, of breaking several laws the night Sampson died. The department alleged the company knew its safety sensors were modified to accommodate “larger guests” outside the recommended specifications.
Orlando Slingshot was also accused of improper employee training, “deficient” record keeping on the ride’s maintenance and ignoring manufacturer instructions on the maximum weight of guests on the ride, among other allegations.
The company denies any wrongdoing. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office was tasked with conducting a criminal review of the incident, and no employees are currently facing charges.
creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com; arabines@orlandosentinel.com
