Chairlift accident

[Frisk]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-110071-101-.htm#110071

That is terrible.

[Fancy]

Saw the chopper heading towards the hospital and can only hope the accident victim will be okay.

[motokelowna1]

We were there getting ourselves ready when it happened. The emergency response was swift and decisive. Unfortunately the people injured will impact this quaint spot. The staff were affected trust me they do care . I and my daughter will return all the best to all.....

[GordonH]

I do hope all the injured will be okay

[Snarf]

I love Crystal Mountain. I hope all victims will make a full recovery.

[Frisk]

Did the chair actually fall off or did it hit the tower and the people fell out?

[Frisk]

Wait never mind, it looks like the wire fell off the tower. I hope everyone makes a quick recovery.

[Urbane]

UPDATE: 4 injured after chairlifts crash to the ground on Crystal Mountain
By Christine Tam Global News

Four people have been taken to hospital after several chairlifts crashed to the ground on Crystal Mountain near Kelowna Saturday, the ski resort has confirmed.

BC Ambulance said Crystal Mountain staff called 911 at around 11 a.m. reporting that four people had been injured after the chairlifts plummeted to the slopes.

Two people were taken to hospital in critical condition, one by air ambulance, and two others suffered minor injuries.

Crystal Mountain general manager Mike Morin said the incident was caused when an empty chairlift hit a tower and fell approximately seven metres to the ground, causing the cable to dislodge from the system. Two other chairs, carrying two people each, then crashed to the ground.

According to Morin, the victims include a ski instructor, two volunteer ski patrol personnel, and a 16-year-old boy who suffered a broken shoulder.

The B.C. Safety Authority is investigating after several chairlifts fell to the ground Saturday, injuring four people.
Global News

Two B.C. Safety Authority officers are investigating the cause of the incident.

All chairlifts were shut down on the mountain following the incident, however the mountain remained open.

[Chmmr]

Tragic :( Horrible for everyone, but especially the staff to see that it is 3 of their own that are most seriously injured

http://globalnews.ca/news/1181295/four- ... r-kelowna/

Four people have been taken to hospital after several chairlifts crashed to the ground on Crystal Mountain near Kelowna Saturday, the ski resort has confirmed.

BC Ambulance said Crystal Mountain staff called 911 at around 11 a.m. reporting that four people had been injured after the chairlifts plummeted to the slopes.

Two people were taken to hospital in critical condition, one by air ambulance, and two others suffered minor injuries.

Crystal Mountain general manager Mike Morin said the incident was caused when an empty chairlift hit a tower and fell approximately seven metres to the ground, causing the cable to dislodge from the system. Two other chairs, carrying two people each, then crashed to the ground.

According to Morin, the victims include a ski instructor, two volunteer ski patrol personnel, and a 16-year-old boy who suffered a broken shoulder.

[O4chrisake]

I used to volunteer at Crystal mountain and have skied there since I was a boy and never felt unsafe as has been suggested by someone on the headline page of Castanet. This person refers to the wind being so bad etc. well I've skied at Big White and Silver Star and can assure anyone that the winds howl at those two mountains the same as anywhere else and yes I've been on those chairlifts when the chairs were swinging wildly. Before anyone starts spouting off about the safety at Crystal Mountain please wait for the the safety authorities determine the cause. I know for a fact that risk management was always at the forefront for General Manager Mike Moring and I'm sure he is sickened by what has happened especially considering that apparently three of the four were working there. My hope for a speedy recovery to all injured and that the good people of Crystal Mountain are coping as best they can. And to close YES I WOULD SKI THERE AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT AND ON THE "OLD BLUE CHAIR".

[jvdlee]

Anyone that has ever skied Crystal Mountain and gone up that chair will tell you that if their is an empty chair in front of you it will almost alway's swing towards the first tower.Likewise for an empty chair behind you. Both of my kid's took the Nancy Greene racing program there and when I asked they both remembered it vividly. That was over 15 years ago. The equipment is much older now, in my opinion it was inevitable. Management should of been aware of this. The liftee does not stop the chairlift to let you on, they hold the chair while you sit, which causes the other chairs to swing and bounce.This lift should have been upgraded years ago.

I really do hope everyone is okay, but I believe a call to a lawyer should be made on monday morning.

[baconbits]

I know that with proper maintenance chairlifts can have a long life span, however I wonder if the 47 year old lift in question was past its expiration date. I Hope everyone will recover and get back on the slopes in time.

[heather yeats]

" Another Castanet reader, Andrew Leckie, who calls himself an avid snowboarder, says he spent many years at Crystal Mountain, but will never go back.

“I went there every year for a very long time and this would happen every time you were on that mountain. Whether it was the old chair breaking down or the new one, and they were forcing it to keep going and never upgraded," he says.

He recounts one such incident on the Scenic Ridge chairlift (not the one that broke), when winds whipped him parallel to the ground.

“It stalled right away, like halfway up (the mountain). It was during a huge windstorm too," says Leckie.

"The chairs were literally swinging so far side-to-side that it was like we were banking on a rollercoaster – completely sideways. We were looking at the cable."

“I just felt it was completely irresponsible of them at the time. I never went back there again. My dad sent me the (Castanet) link today and it could have happened at any time."

There is no evidence at this time that high winds contributed to the accident. The mountain has since been closed, pending an investigation by the BC Safety Authority.

“I remember that fear of being swung back and forth (by the wind) and thinking I was going to come off that thing, I can’t even imagine what those people went through today. I feel so bad for them," he says.

"I went in there and freaked out and gave them my season’s pass back before I left that day and I never really said anything


Shame on you Castanet!!! The above comments reported on Castanet are irresponsible because they are not being made about the current event. They are also the uninformed opinion of an ex guest at the resort. Someone who is a layman and not qualified to make statements about safe practices.

If I were a rep of Crystal Mountain Resort - I would request firmly that Castanet remove these comments immediately. Many readers of Castanet might be unfairly prejudiced by reading such statements.

[Glacier]

I've never been to Crystal, but I'd go there in a heartbeat. Chairlifts are very safe, and require extensive inspections. There is no avoiding these inspections either. If a resort cannot pony up the money for an inspection (some of which can be very expensive), they will not be issued a permit to operate. This is the exact reason Mount Baldy did not open this year. Unfortunately, nothing is life is guaranteed 100% when humans are involved. I hope the injured people make a full recovery.

[heather yeats]

You are so right Glacier...Every action taken by anybody has a risk attached.

In my family's experience, Crystal has been the best place for our son to snowboard! They are always helpful and very mindful of the fact that they are a family first hill.

Ensuring that kids wear helmets and are being careful and respectful of others is great. It is the reason that our son has matured and done so well at a sport that he enjoys.

Thank you Crystal!