Coaster Strands Shaken Riders

WEST MIAMI-DADE - (CBS4) - Riders strapped to a popular rollercoaster at the Miami-Dade County Fair took a scary turn when two of the cars got stuck on the tracks Friday afternoon.

It took rescuers about an hour to safely unload the rollercoaster riders who suddenly found themselves helpless as they sat onboard the ride called The Avalanche.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Spokesman Eric Baum says one car had three passengers and the other had four. All seven people were rescued, however, one person was taken by ambulance with minor injuries.

Fortunately, the car with four passengers had stopped close to the ground and the passengers were able to exit without help.

One of those who was stuck was a woman and her two children and she described the tense moments before the sudden brake.

"And I saw the car in front of us going backwards, we were going forwards, going pretty fast, then crashed," the woman said.

Her brother-in-law watched from the stands and described his feeling of helplessness.

"It was scary. You knew what was going to happen and you didn't know the result, but you knew something wasn't good," he said.

Images from Chopper 4 showed the dramatic rescue. Adults and children appeared to be calm -- but certainly got more than they bargained for.

By 6 p.m. all riders had gotten out safely.

Officials have not said what caused the sudden brake. The ride will remain closed until investigators clear it for safety.

The fair opened its 18-day run March 17th. It attracts more than 800,000 visitors each year. Click here for a complete guide to the fair.

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