Teen airlifted after suffering injuries while exiting Miami-Dade Youth Fair ride

MIAMI (WSVN) - A teenage girl was airlifted to the hospital after, officials said, she suffered injuries while at the Miami-Dade Youth Fair, Friday night.

Video posted to Twitter showed good Samaritans rendering aid to the young victim as she lay on the floor next to the Hard Rock ride.

She was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital with injuries, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. They described the patient as a teenager with traumatic injuries.

The video posted on Twitter also shows a rescue vehicle and an air rescue chopper at the scene.

7News cameras captured paramedics taking the victim out of the helicopter at the hospital and taking her inside.

Witnesses who took to social media to report the incident said the ride malfunctioned, but Youth Fair representatives said the victim fell while getting out of the ride and was airlifted as a precaution.

On behalf of the Youth Fair, North American Midway Entertainment, the company that operates the ride, released a statement, saying the Hard Rock was not in motion at the time the victim fell.

Youth Fair officials said the victim tried to get on the ride but couldn’t be safely harnessed, so she got off and fell in the process.

North American Midway’s statement read in part, “During the loading process, the guest attempted to exit the ride and fell onto the deck of the ride. As a standard procedure, when any incident happens, the ride remains closed until it is re-inspected by Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services before reopening.”

The Hard Rock is a newer ride with a platform and multiple separate carriers that hold several people each.

Officials did not disclose the rider’s age but confirmed she is a minor.

The Department of Agriculture’s investigation is expected to take place on Saturday.

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