30-Foot Chairlift Fall Leaves 8-Year-Old Boy Hospitalized in Critical Condition
(ABC10/Youtube)
An 8-year-old boy was airlifted to a Twin Cities hospital Monday evening after falling 30 to 40 feet from a chairlift at Mount Ski Gull in Minnesota.
According to CBS News, emergency responders treated the boy at the scene before transporting him via Life Link Helicopter for further medical care. The boy’s current condition remains unknown, and the cause of the accident has yet to be determined.
The incident prompted a swift response from multiple agencies, including Ski Gull Ski Patrol, Pillager Fire & Rescue, North Memorial Ambulance, and Life Link Helicopter, WJON News reported.
Per Fox 9, This accident follows similar chairlift incidents at other ski resorts in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a 32-year-old snowboarder fell from a chairlift at Keystone Resort in Colorado. Reports indicated the snowboarder leaned down to adjust his bindings when he slipped off the Ruby Express lift. He was transported to St.
Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado, after receiving immediate assistance from the Keystone Ski Patrol and the Summit County Sheriff’s Department. The Keystone fall came on the heels of a fatal incident in 2023 at Breckenridge Ski Resort, also in Colorado, highlighting the importance of chairlift safety awareness.
The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) stresses that visitors should familiarize themselves with chairlift operations before use and always lower the safety bar, when available. For families, adults are advised to assist children in properly securing the safety bar to prevent accidents.
According to NSAA data, most chairlift falls are non-serious and occur in loading or unloading areas. Since 1973, there have been only 14 fatal falls from chairlifts in the United States, with nearly half resulting from medical emergencies during lift rides. Chairlift malfunctions, although rare, have caused 16 fatalities over nine incidents since 1973, the most recent occurring in 2020.
Mount Ski Gull, a small ski area in central Minnesota, opened its season on December 6 and was recently named the “Best Place for Winter Family Fun” in the Brainerd Lakes area for 2024. As investigations into the latest chairlift accident continue, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety protocols, especially for younger riders.
