CNN Interviews Stuck Skier on Maine Lift After Five Chairs Fall
- Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:26pm by
Scott Baker
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CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine (AP) — Officials at a Maine ski area report that there are about eight injuries in an accident on a chair lift.
Sugarloaf spokesman Ethan Austin told The Associated Press that Tuesday’s accident was “a big deal.” He says one of the ski lifts derailed and five chairs came down.
The resort says on its Facebook page that most of the injuries appear to be minor. Austin says the ski patrol is evacuating the lift.
A spokeswoman for Franklin Memorial Hospital about 45 minutes away in Farmington says at least two injured people are en route by ambulance.
Gray says it‘s possible more injured people could arrive because it’s the closest hospital.
The Blaze update:
CNN was able to interview a CNN employee, via cellphone, who was one of the people trapped on the lift:
CNN:
[Update 11:58 a.m.] Rescuers were swiftly bringing stranded skiers down from a broken-down chairlift at western Maine’s Sugarloaf Mountain resort, CNN Newsource employee Robb Atkinson said.
“It’s incredibly organized. They know what they’re doing,” Atkinson said while still suspended 30 to 40 feet above the ground. “They’re moving incredibly fast.”
The accident occurred on the resort’s Spillway East slope, which runs all the way to the top of the mountain, Maureen Atkinson said.
[Update 11:40 a.m.] Five stranded skiers have been evacuated from the chairlift that broke down Tuesday at Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine, CNN Newsource employee Robb Atkinson said.
Officials with the ski resort said it would take 60 to 90 minutes to rescue all the trapped skiers.
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temple62
Posted on December 29, 2010 at 11:12amThese east coast snow stories are hilarious. During the summer, when Phoenix endures 120 degrees heat, the evening news quackery fail to report it, it is expected! However they report that Chicago had 98 degrees instead. When the Midwest winter storms force farmers use helicopters to drop hay bales to feed stranded cattle, it is ho, hum more of the same. And then the “Unexpected happens on the east coast – Snow in the Winter time!” Yes, it is truly shocking…or is it? Maybe it’s everyone looking for Mr. Goodbar. Obama, Bloomberg and the nanny government could institute another exception and send them a check for their discomfort!
Report Post »dustytrail
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:42pmI blame O B A M A for this.
Report Post »Ronko
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 7:44pmWell that sucks for the people on the lifts but at least nobody got killed.
Report Post »auntmoxie.com
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 7:34pmI smell government regulations coming….
Report Post »Wilma
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:48pmOuch!
Report Post »temple62
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:01pmDamn this global warming!
Report Post »GadsdenGurl
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 3:34pmBeen there, done that.. if you see the chair falling and can brace yourself, hang on and cushion the fall you can make it OK. I jumped off a chair from 30 feet, did not wait to be rescued! My knee still hurts me to this day.
Report Post »Annie Fields
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:43pmI grew up skiing New England‘s mountains and if it weren’t for my X&!@ arthritis, I’d ski more, but I agree with so many of the posters that the ski patrol & folks who work the mountains are real pros. These folks LOVE what they do and do it really, really well. Now… back to dreaming about a tempurpedic-lined ski boot…
Report Post »nickyinva
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:34pmSugarloaf has always had wind issues. That is why so many surface lifts (i.e. Rope tows).
Report Post »code green
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:01pmWhen vacations attack .
Report Post »farleygospel
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:35pmI don’t ski, I sing.
Report Post »Dear Father,
Please help all these people. Thank you. In Jesus name, Amen.
http://farleygospel.blog.com
From Maine
JavaTrail
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:31pmI have a hard time believing the wind did the damage. My bet is someone did something stupid to make the cable jump…
In any case I believe we need a “lift czar” to oversee this terrible threat to our children.
Report Post »AWatchman4Him
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:46pmAmen ! A Lift Czar, who would have thought ? More Czars, More Brains. Ummmm!!!
Report Post »bookofwisdom
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:20pmI live in N.W. Florida and I’m freezing. I cannot imagine what it’s like sitting in one of those chairs with the wind rocking you back and forth and knowing you could crash at any time. I hope they can get rescued soon. May God Bless.
Report Post »wodiej
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:19pmThey shouldn’t have been running the lift when it was that windy. Don’t see the point of skiing anyway-get a sled and go to the local park if you want to slide down a hill. It seems pretty dangerous. A snowboarder just killed a 5 yr old on a ski slope.
Report Post »LibertyUSA1
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:13pmSkiing is the best sport EVER!!! The patrol are professional. They will do their absolute best for these individuals. Any sport has it’s risks….this is one of the more exciting ones.
Report Post »midwestern soul
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:12pmTime to appoint a Winter Resort Safety Czar.
Report Post »hkyfan36
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:10pmGlad to see a very organized evac of the chair lifts. Bravo Sugarloaf and the proper training of your staff.
Report Post »thejackal
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:59pmNo it wasn’t lousy union workmanship, it was a high gust of wind coupled with the chair starting up after it was stopped for a mis-load at the bottom of the lift. Been skiing there since ‘76 first time I can remember anything like this happeing, Sugarloaf has an amazing safety record, till now.’
Report Post »Danaman
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:56pmIs Bush’s fault!
Report Post »ilovethiscountry
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:55pmI can’t ski, my balance is terrible, aand I am afraid of heights.
Report Post »wfnc2377
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:43pmI am sure that somehow and someway this event can be linked back to the failures of the Obama administration.
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:57pmYep, if the first “lady” vacationed there, instead of Spain, they would have had the funds to repair everything properly.
Sorry, that was the best I could come up with *snicker*
Highland
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:02pmNope, Bush’s fault. Just ask Robert Gibbs.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:02pmAnd in some way and some how they will try and blame the Bush administration for this failure.
Report Post »DanB
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:02pmOnly in as much as they cannot control everything, everywhere, and everytime. But, they are working on it….
This has nothing to do with Obama administration, but I wouldn’t put it past them to implement new regs and so forth to make it harder to run these lifts. Promoting safety and tax payer expenses all while not improving safety one bit…. As for myself, I would hope this wouldn’t stop me from skiing. This has been a risk and will continue to be. However, I might want to learn how to ski first, eh? The sport probably isn’t as fun for those of us like me who can barely ski–which is probably part of why I don’t go very often (that and lack of money).
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:13pmYes I’m quite certain Obama is not in Hawaii, it is just a ploy so that he could sneak up that chair lift in the dead of night, dark skin needs night to hide in the snow, and possessing monkey like climbing skills, he climbed up with a wrench and loosened the bolts on the chair lift himself. Why would he do such a thing, socialism that’s why.
tranquilrider
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:07pm@mossbrain
Report Post »Once again, you have proven yourself to be a racist jacka$$
walkwithme1966
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 7:01pmWhy am I not surprised that someone would blame this on Obama!! You just couldn’t help yourself I know, I know!! http://maboulette.wordpress.com
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:39pmEvery time I get on a chair lift ,this kind of thing goes through my mind. I can see the maintenance guy in my head saying “everything was good the last time I checked it ,it’s too damn cold to be out there today anyway”. I wonder if that’s was a union job?
Report Post »Midwest Blonde
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:34pmAnother good reason to avoid skiing. (No I’m not a skier – I tried, I fell a lot, I failed, and froze in the process)
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:58pmAgreed – no sking for myself; lousy balance, no desire to hit trees or rocks.
Report Post »Grasshopper42
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:58pmSame here, Midwest Blonde! My only skiing experience was horrible! I came into the bar and spent the next 4 hours happily drinking Michelob (and staying warm) watching those more experienced than I having a great time on the slopes!
Report Post »Marks1956f100
Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:00pmI have skied all of my life (over forty years) and in all of that time I have been evacuated off one chair lift. I have had several friends that have been evacuated and all of us appreciate the training and professionalism of the area ski patrols we have dealt with. Every thing we do, drive cars,fly on planes, etc… has some risk and skiing is no different. I love it and would not give up standing on top of any mountain looking at the scenery and making turns all the way down…….
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