Coaster strands riders at Busch Gardens in Tampa
Feb 13, 2014, 1:02 AM
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Sixteen people have been safely evacuated from the Cheetah Hunt roller coaster at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., after the ride stopped functioning.
The park posted the update on its official Twitter account shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Park spokesman Travis Claytor had said the coaster got stuck just after 2:30 p.m. on the ride’s first embankment, before it got to the main launch track and first major hill. Maintenance workers initially tried to nudge the coaster back into the station. When that didn’t work, park officials called Tampa Fire Rescue.
Claytor says maintenance and operations workers were trying to figure out Wednesday evening what caused the ride to malfunction. He says they’re not sure when it will reopen.
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