A young boy was safely retrieved after being found walking alone on the elevated track of a ride at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, was captured on video and caused alarm among both spectators and social media users.
The footage widely shared online shows the child standing on the track of the Capital BlueCross Monorail, a ride that provides an audio tour of the amusement park. The monorail’s tracks are raised over 20 feet off the ground.
According to Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, the child was reported missing around 5 p.m. after being separated from his parents. He had wandered onto the ride’s track, which was not operational that day.
“While our staff was diligently searching for the child, he entered a secured area around the Monorail,” a spokesperson from the company explained, noting that the ride “was closed and protected by a chain at the entrance and a blocked turnstile on the platform.”
Staff immediately responded to the area after the boy was seen on the tracks, the spokesperson said.
In the video, some worried onlookers could be heard screaming, while others tried to instruct the child how to get off the Monorail.
“Keep walking!” one of the onlookers could be heard saying to the child while pointing left.
The child initially walked to the left as bystanders shouted for him to stop. The boy appeared confused, placing his hand on his head.
A helpful bystander wearing a green hat decided to act, climbing onto a nearby structure to signal the boy to come over, as seen in the video. The man then jumped onto the monorail, lifting the boy to safety amidst cheers and applause from those watching.
The child was not harmed and was reunited with his family about 20 minutes after he was reported missing, according to Hershey Entertainment & Resorts.
“We are grateful for the vigilance of our guests and the swift response of our team, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of guest safety throughout Hersheypark,” the company said.
