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Arnold Amusements Carnival Ride Malfunctions at National Cherry Festival

Crews at the National Cherry Festival are working to take down the Arnold Amusements Magic Carpet ride after a malfunction on Thursday night.

All day we have been hearing stories from those who were there, and those who jumped in to help out.

“It was just a normal Cherry Fest…Then there was a noise that started that we didn’t know and we looked up and saw the whole ride tilt forwards,” says Cammra Nolff.

She spent all day Thursday with her son at the National Cherry Festival, then watched as one of the carnival’s rides flew towards her.

“We knew immediately something wasn’t right. It was bad,” said Nolff. “It was terrifying. We were scared.”

Those standing in the crowd rushed to help prevent the ride, and all of those on it, from falling over.

“At least 25 to 30 people came to jump on the front of it to steady the balance of the weight on it. It was appearing that all the jacks gave way around it,” says Anthony Sanders.

Sanders was one of the volunteers that helped to hold the ride down.

He says if they hadn’t stepped in, the outcome could have been deadly.

“It was pulling us all up off the ground. The power was already cut to it. There were several people in the gear box trying to get more switches on it but we just had to let it slow down and lose its inertia there,” said Sanders. 

Both Nolff and Sanders say their kids will not be getting back any other carnival rides.

We reached out to Arnold Amusements to find out what exactly happened,  but they have not responded.

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