ST. LOUIS — The northern tram at the Gateway Arch is closed after it broke Monday afternoon with people inside roughly 100 feet from the loading zone.
St. Louis firefighters evacuated 25 people who were stuck on board for approximately two hours, according to Pam Sanfilippo, program manager of museum services and interpretation at the Gateway Arch National Park.
The tram automatically stopped and locked in place when the system censored an issue with one of the governing cables. The fire department was called after mechanics determined they could not safely override the system to move the car to the lower load zone.
Sanfilippo said no injuries were reported and the visitors were refunded their money.
“The system operated exactly as it was designed to do in such a situation to ensure the safety of passengers by stopping the tram,” a statement reads.
“At all times, the passengers were safe and there was no risk of a critical failure in the system. The park appreciates the patience and understanding of the passengers and the assistance of the Fire Department team in evacuating all passengers safely.”
The north tram will be out of service until the cable system is replaced and tested for safety. An estimated timeframe is unknown while parts are waiting to arrive.
The southern tram is operational and open to visitors during summer hours.