A gondola cabin fell to the ground at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in British Columbia on Monday morning, halting operations at the popular ski destination. The incident occurred at the base terminal of the Golden Eagle Express gondola, the resort's primary lift. The fall happened shortly after the cabin was loaded with passengers and began its ascent up the hill.
According to witness Scott Wilson, the gondola cabin plummeted approximately three meters, or roughly ten feet.
"The doors came ajar in the fall but nobody could get out of the downed cabin," Wilson stated.
The resort's website indicates that each gondola cabin can accommodate up to eight passengers. Despite the alarming drop, no immediate reports of injuries have been confirmed.
The Golden Eagle Express gondola will remain closed until further notice, as stated by the resort. In response to the incident, all ski lifts were shut down for the day, with a banner on the resort's website announcing closure until further notice.
The accident followed a heavy snowfall, with 23 centimeters (9 inches) of fresh snow covering the mountain within the past 24 hours. This added to the urgency and complexity of managing the situation at the resort located in Golden, British Columbia.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort quickly deployed their patrol team and first responders to the scene.
"At 9:20 am, an incident occurred involving a cabin at the base terminal of Golden Eagle Express gondola. Our patrol team and first responders were rapidly dispatched on scene," a statement from the resort confirmed.
Efforts to communicate with Kicking Horse for further information about the number of passengers involved or potential injuries have not yet yielded a response. However, a full inspection has been launched to determine and analyze the root causes of the incident.
"A full inspection has been initiated to determinate and analyze root causes," stated Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.
As investigations continue, the resort has assured that updates regarding operational status will be provided later in the day.
