MENDON, Mass. — Dozens of people were safely rescued from a amusement ride at a Massachusetts zoo after an oil leak left them stranded high in the air.
Similar to a ski lift, the Skyfari Ride at Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon allows guests to see the zoo’ from as high as 30 feet in the air. About 40 people were aloft just after 2:30 p.m. Friday when workers discovered a small oil leak and shut the ride down as a precaution.
Zoo employees had already rescued about half the riders when authorities arrived on the scene. Firefighters using bucket and ladder trucks then worked with zoo employees to retrieve the remaining riders.
Ambulances and rescue teams from several local communities responded to the zoo, but there were no reports of any injuries, according to a new release from the Mendon Fire Department.
It was unclear how long the ride would be out of service. A message left with Southwick's Zoo was not immediately returned Saturday morning.
The privately owned zoo is located in Mendon, about 30 miles southwest of Boston.
“The Southwick family is happy that the day ended well for all,” the zoo wrote in a statement posted to its Facebook page.
