11 Rescued From Mardi Gras Carnival Ride
Saturday was a spectacular day across South Louisiana. For many families, a beautiful Saturday on the weekend before Mardi Gras meant a trip to the carnival. However, this trip to the Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Festival ended up being a lot different than just a Saturday on the midway.
About 3 pm Saturday riders of the Star Flyer on the grounds of the festival in Lake Charles began to notice something was up. Well, that something was them and apparently the ride wasn't going to let them down.
The Lake Charles Fire Department was called to the scene where they rescued 11 people, the majority of whom were children from that malfunctioning ride. Officials estimate that the people were stuck on the ride for about an hour and 45 minutes.
All people were safely transferred from the ride to the ground. There were no injuries reported. Mitchell Brothers and Sons, the operators of the ride, said the ride would be taken out of service until it could be inspected and the cause of the malfunction determined and repaired.