Evacuations At NJ Mall Amusement Ride Prompt State Investigation

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Two ride evacuations within a six-month period have prompted an investigation into the American Dream mall in Bergen County, officials said.

The investigation is led by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA), which is working on identifying a faulty component on the Dora Sky Rail ride, according to DCA director of communications Tammori Petty-Dixon.

The Dora Sky Rail has been evacuated twice, once in September 2021 and again on Monday outside the normal loading and unloading station, Petty-Dixon said. In the most recent evacuation, trained personnel utilized lift equipment to evacuate patrons after the train stopped on the track due to an electrical component failure.

“All guests were successfully removed from the attraction in a timely and controlled manner,” the spokeswoman said. “There were no requests for medical attention made at the time of the event.”

Petty-Dixon noted that the cause of the issue both times was an electrical component failure.

“Repairs will be made, and the ride will be put back in service. DCA staff was on site yesterday to inspect the ride,” she added.

As of Tuesday, the Dora Sky Rail was operational.

Representatives for the mall did not immediately return a request for comment.