Skiers injured as lift chairs collide at ski resort in Lake Tahoe
“It was not good at all,” ski resort visitor Brett Federico said. “A malfunctioning chair has always been a nightmare of mine, and to witness it is even worse.”
(File photo credit: Getty Images)
(CNN) — Five skiers were transported to the hospital Monday after an “incident” on a chair lift at Heavenly ski resort in Lake Tahoe, according to Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Bryce Cranch.
The patients’ conditions are not yet known.
The incident happened around 10 a.m. local time, and fire officials said they responded with two fire engines and three rescue ambulances.
Photos captured by a skier and shared with CNN show the aftermath of a collision between two chairs.
Travis Faanes told CNN that he was in the lift line for the Dipper Express chairlift when he heard someone yell out, “Oh my God!”
He said when he turned to his right, he saw people fall and hit the ground.
“The chair slid backwards with people on it into the chair behind it,” Faanes said. “The people in the front chair fell off.”
He added that this could have been worse.
“They [are] lucky this happened at the very beginning of the lift,” he said.
Brett Federico told CNN that he got there right after it happened.
There are several factors needed for an avalanche to occur. Strong blowing winds and changes in the thickness and density of the snowpack are two of the indicators.
Federico said he saw four sleds take people down the mountain after the incident, and that he saw one of the victims on oxygen as they went by.
“It was not good at all,” Federico said. “A malfunctioning chair has always been a nightmare of mine, and to witness it is even worse.”
The resort is “investigating” the incident, and guests’ safety is “top priority,” Communications Manager Cole Zimmerman told CNN.
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