Well deformed and superdeformed rotational structures in the second well of nuclei near doubly-magic56Niwere recently identified by means of heavy-ion fusion-evaporation reactions. Some of these bands were found to decay by prompt particle emission in competition to the expected decay via &ggr; radiation. Subsequently, dedicated experiments were performed to investigate this exotic decay mode in more detail. First results from these studies are reported. ©2000 American Institute of Physics.