ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Fire Rescue safely rescued all riders on The Wheel at ICON Park after it lost power on Saturday evening, according to an ICON Park representative.
ICON Park — the entertainment complex where the attraction is located — released a statement saying, “The Wheel lost power Saturday night and we’re working with the Orange County Fire Department to safely evacuate guests.”
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“When we got to the park it was already dark and we started to see the flashlights of people climbing the outskirts of it,” said George Hayeck, who was visiting from Boston
Orange County Fire Rescue announced on Twitter around 9:40 p.m. that 62 people have been rescued from the pods and that rescue climbers were still conducting rescues.
Final Update: More than 60 people have been safely rescued from more than 20 pods. All pods are now empty and units have cleared @iconparkorlando. All rescue climbers on duty responded to the scene, with additional off duty rescue climbers also responding to assist if needed. https://t.co/1Bz7jrI1jV pic.twitter.com/PIXDD2pPLg
— OCFire Rescue (@OCFireRescue) January 1, 2023
Videos and photos posted on social media appear to show sparks and smoke coming from one section of the wheel.
“We actually tried to go into the wheel and they said it was closed for the night,” David Morales said. When asked by News 6 if the attraction said why it was closed, Morales said, “No specific reason, but it seems like it is something serious.”
By 9:46 p.m., ICON Park released another statement that said, “All guests in The Wheel have safely disembarked after the attraction lost power on Saturday night.”
This is a developing story. Check back with News 6 for updates.
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