Two carts full of riders got stuck mid-ride on the Wildcat roller coaster at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup at 8:28 p.m. on September 11, prompting emergency crews to bring in a crane to free them one at a time. The ride shut down while safety protocols were completed, and fairgoers gathered to watch as each rider was slowly lowered to the ground.
The malfunction was captured on video by Madison Nicole Marie Witt, who recorded the stalled coaster and said a crowd formed to watch the riders come down, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Witt told the paper the Wildcat breaks down multiple times every year, a claim that echoes a pattern of mechanical stoppages on the vintage ride. Ride operators evacuated passengers one at a time and, per the same report, responded promptly and safely assisted guests off the ride.
Fair Officials Praise Response, Ride Reopens Next Day
Washington State Fair spokesperson Whitney Hamblen said the fair became aware the Wildcat had stopped during operation and prioritized guest safety throughout the incident, the News Tribune reported. Hamblen said fair officials appreciated the quick response of the ride team along with guests' patience and cooperation while the situation was resolved. The Wildcat reopened on September 12 and has remained in operation since, per the same account.
This is not the coaster's first high-profile stoppage. During opening weekend of the 2023 fair, the Wildcat experienced a mechanical malfunction in which a coaster car allegedly struck another car ahead of it at high speed, requiring emergency personnel to evaluate riders and forcing a temporary shutdown, according to MyNorthwest. That incident went viral on social media before ride owners completed testing and reopened the attraction.
The Wildcat Coaster and Its History
The Wildcat is a classic 65-meter portable steel coaster manufactured by German designer Anton Schwarzkopf that has operated at the Puyallup fairgrounds since 1985. Schwarzkopf's Wildcat product line includes three products, according to American Coaster Enthusiasts. The ride was dismantled in early 2020, repainted, and reinstalled slightly northeast on the fairgrounds — in space previously occupied by the Rainier Rush attraction — before reopening for the 2021 fair season, per the Roller Coaster DataBase.
The fair also operates the Classic Coaster, another attraction at the fair. The ride is separate from the Wildcat.
Ride Safety at the Fair
Emergency crews have responded to ride incidents at the fairgrounds before. In one previous incident, riders were stranded on a malfunctioning ride before being evacuated, according to KING 5. The ride was subsequently taken out of service.
Washington state regulates amusement rides. Whether regulators conduct additional mechanical evaluations after repeated mid-ride shutdowns on older rides like the Wildcat, or whether oversight relies primarily on routine inspections and daily operator test runs, remains an open question.
Officials have said ride safety depends on joint oversight by L&I, ride operators, and certified inspectors. The Washington State Fair, originally founded in 1900 as the Valley Fair, is the largest single-attraction annual event in the state, drawing over 1 million visitors each September across 160 acres, according to the Lynnwood Times. This year's fair runs 20 days, from September 4 through September 27, with free admission for minors during opening week, as Hoodline previously reported.
