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A serious incident occurred this morning at Kicking Horse Resort, located near Golden, British Columbia, when one of the gondolas on the Golden Eagle Express fell while passengers were inside. The distressing event took place at approximately 9:20 a.m., prompting an immediate response from the ski resort’s patrol team along with local emergency services.
Images shared across social media depict the gondola car overturned at the base of the lift, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. One skier, Geoff Colenut, remarked that he had just arrived for a ski day when the incident struck. He spoke to a few passengers who were onboard during the fall; fortunately, they reported only sustaining minor injuries and remained optimistic despite the ordeal.
Latest Updates on the Situation
Another witness, Ryan Nichols, who was in a different gondola further up the slope at the time, noted that rescue teams were mobilized to assist other skiers and snowboarders trapped in gondolas that remained suspended above the ski runs.
Emergency crews are currently on-site, providing assistance to those affected and working to safely evacuate the remaining passengers from the Golden Eagle Express gondola. The resort has announced that operations will be halted for the rest of the day as investigations are initiated to ascertain the cause of this alarming incident.
According to information on Kicking Horse’s website, each gondola cabin is designed to accommodate up to eight passengers on a 3,400-meter journey that spans roughly 12 minutes. Safety protocols ensure regular maintenance; however, the resort is actively assessing the situation to implement any necessary measures to enhance safety in the future.
Further developments will be reported as more information becomes available regarding the condition of those involved and the investigation’s findings into the cause of the gondola’s malfunction.
Source
globalnews.ca