PantherFest patrons left high and dry as water slide malfunctions

FORT WORTH What was supposed to be a cool down turned into a melt down.

A 2,000-foot slide that is draped across the North Main Street bridge was not working properly Saturday at the opening of PantherFest, leaving slide enthusiasts hot and cranky and demanding refunds.

Several people in attendance have had to be treated for heat-related illnesses and Fort Worth firefighters were using a truck to spray down folks to keep them cool.

Officials with with the Trinity River Vision Authority, which is sponsoring the festival just north of downtown Fort Worth, said the morning slide session was canceled as workers continue to try and get the slide ready to roll.

The giant slip-and- slide is the centerpiece of PantherFest, a Fort Worth-themed event that features live music, food and beer. While the slide is temporarily shut down, the rest of the festival continues.

Officials said that slide-goers would receive a full refund. All of the tickets to the slide sold out in advance.

It is not clear if officials will still try to break the Guinness Book of World Records mark for the longest distance traveled on a slip-and-slide in one hour. That was scheduled for later Saturday afternoon.

This story was originally published June 8, 2015 at 8:13 AM with the headline "PantherFest patrons left high and dry as water slide malfunctions."