BUENA PARK (AP) — California officials say a Knott's Berry Farm ride that stranded 20 people 300 feet in the air for nearly four hours automatically stopped when one of its brakes froze.

Erika Monterroza, from the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, told the Los Angeles Times that when the brake on Windseeker froze Wednesday, it triggered the ride's safety mechanism, and that shut off the ride.

Monterroza says it took so long to bring down the riders because maintenance workers had to free a counter-balance to lower the ride and manipulate the frozen brake loose.

She says riders were safe throughout the process.