A Trabant ride at the Valleyfair amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota. A similar ride, called Wipeout, became stuck at the Big E in West Springfield Thursday.
A Trabant ride at the Valleyfair amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota. A similar ride, called Wipeout, became stuck at the Big E in West Springfield Thursday. Credit: —Larry Pieniazek/Creative Commons

WEST SPRINGFIELD – A Big E ride was shut down after it malfunctioned, trapping more than a dozen riders.

“Wipeout,” which spins on the ground and then lifts up, became stuck in an upright position at a 45 degree angle Thursday night. At its highest point, it was 18 to 20 feet off the ground.

Fourteen riders were removed one at a time by the West Springfield Fire Department. No one was injured, according to Noreen Tassinari, the Big E’s director of marketing.

The rescue operation took about 90 minutes to complete. 

The ride will not operate for the remainder of the fair, which runs through Oct. 2.

Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com