Five skiers were injured when two ski lift chairs apparently collided at a resort near Lake Tahoe on Monday.
The chairlifts apparently collided with one another on the Comet Express chairlift at Heavenly Valley Ski Resort, based on a photograph of the incident posted online. The image showed rescue staff in red jackets gathered at the bottom of the elevator, with the 2 chairs sitting next to one another near one in every of the elevator's poles.
Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District crews responded to the incident shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, said Michelle Turner, public information officer for the fireplace protection district.
The incident occurred near Stagecoach Lodge and the response included two fire engines and three ambulances, Turner said.
an eyewitness told CNN That's when he was waiting in line for a chairlift when he heard someone scream, “Oh my God!” Travis Faanes told the news outlet that when he turned around, he saw people falling and hitting the bottom.
“The chair slid back into the chair behind it with people on it,” Faanes told CNN. “The people in the front seat fell off.”
The five patients were transported to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Tuner added. The skiers' health and whether or not they live in the realm or were visiting weren’t disclosed.
Heavenly Mountain Resort confirmed there was an “incident” on the Comet Express chairlift on Monday, but didn’t provide further details.
“The safety of our guests is our top priority and the resort is investigating the incident,” Cole Zimmerman, communications manager for Heavenly Mountain Resort, said in a press release.
Turner added that the fireplace district is capable of proceed coverage of its district because of help from neighboring districts.
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