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Roller coaster riders stuck upside down for hours after 'mechanical failure' at Wisconsin festival

The attraction at the Forest County Festival in Crandon appeared to shut down midride Sunday, leaving some riders hanging for at least three hours, according to an NBC affiliate.
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Thrill-seekers at a Wisconsin festival were given a major scare over the holiday weekend after the roller coaster they were riding got stuck, leaving them hanging upside down for hours.

The roller coaster at the Forest County Festival in Crandon appeared to shut down midride Sunday, leaving some riders hanging upside down for at least three hours, according to NBC affiliate WJFW of Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

In video shared on social media, a number of people could be seen hanging from a stalled roller coaster as rescuers climbed the attraction to free them. NBC News could not immediately verify the video.

Emergency responders from at least three surrounding counties responded to the call to help the riders, according to WJFW.

Crandon Fire Department Capt. Brennan Cook told the outlet there had been a "mechanical failure with the ride where it became stuck in the upright position." It was not immediately clear what caused the issue.

Cook said the ride had been recently inspected on-site by the state of Wisconsin, but he said he did not have any other information. The fire department did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment from NBC News.

All passengers were safely rescued and taken to the hospital to be checked out, according to WJFW.

Crandon International Off-Road Raceway, which appeared to have hosted the event, did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment.

Sunday was meant to be the final day of the festival, according to a flyer the raceway shared online.

The incident is the latest in a string of roller coaster-related mishaps to make headlines in recent days.

A North Carolina amusement park recently shut down one of its roller coasters after a man spotted a large crack that caused a support beam to visibly move out of place as a passenger-filled car sped past.

Carowinds confirmed Sunday that the Fury 325 was shut down for repairs after the park was alerted to the issue. A “thorough inspection” was taking place and the ride would be closed indefinitely until the issue is fixed, a statement from the park said.

Last month, a roller coaster train derailed in Sweden, killing one person and injuring at least nine others.