Amusement park ride in suburban NYC spins backward for more than 10 minutes

RYE, N.Y. — Visitors to a New York amusement park got more than they bargained for when a ride became stuck, spinning passengers backward for more than 10 minutes.

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The incident on July 23 occurred at Rye Playland, located north of New York City in Westchester County, WABC-TV reported.

The Music Express ride is designed to move backward, but just before 8:30 p.m. EDT, the ride sent people moving in reverse for longer than expected, according to the television station.

According to the park’s website, the ride is “a fast-paced circular ride traveling a track with numerous peaks and valleys.” Loud music plays and lights flash throughout the ride, the website notes.

No injuries were reported as a result of the malfunction, according to News12 Westchester.

But some of the riders were frightened.

Giovanni Martinez-Roman, whose cousins were on the ride at the time of the malfunction, shared a video of the incident on social media.

“They absolutely did not have the proper protocols to stop the ride,” Martinez-Roman told WABC. “I believe the workers handling the ride should know what to do in a case like that.”

In the video posted to social media, technicians arrived and were able to bring the ride to a stop, WNYW-TV reported.

Jeff Davis, the amusement park’s general manager, issued a statement, noting that safety and the well-being of visitors is Playland’s top concern.

“Safety is our number one priority and as such, the Music Express ride is currently closed as we work closely with the manufacturer,” Davis said, according to News12 Westchester.

Davis told WABC that an electrical malfunction was the cause.

“It went through its normal inspection on Sunday morning and ran throughout the day without incident until that 8:30 p.m. time,” Davis told the television station.

Davis said the ride’s operators activated an emergency stop button and when that didn’t work they called maintenance to disconnect the power.

Playland has been a fixture in Westchester County since it opened in 1928. It is a National Historic Landmark, the park stated on its website. According to the National Park Service, Playland received that designation on Feb. 27, 1987.