The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office is continuing to investigate after a chair fell from a ski lift at Attitash Mountain Resort in Bartlett Sunday, sending one man to the hospital.
The incident happened around noon Sunday on the Flying Bear lift, according to state and resort officials.
In a press release, the fire marshal's office said its preliminary investigation indicates a mechanical failure dislodged the chair from the lift's cable. They said the lift's manufacturer is assisting with the investigation, and the lift is closed while officials investigate.
Officials say the chair was carrying one passenger when it fell approximately 20 feet to the ground. Witnesses said the man aboard the chair was conscious and walking after the fall.
Attitash's ski patrol responded and the man was taken to Memorial Hospital in Conway with "non-life threatening injuries," officials said. State officials said Monday that he was released from the hospital. No other injuries were reported.
Attitash is owned by Vail Resorts. In response to emailed questions Sunday evening, a Vail Resorts spokesperson said Attitash does daily lift inspections, in addition to annual inspections by the state. The Flying Bear lift was inspected last November, according to the state fire marshall's office. State law requires lifts to be inspected every year, with additional random inspections.
The spokesperson did not answer a question about whether there had been any similar accidents with Attitash’s lifts in recent seasons.
In an email, Attitash General Manager Brandon Swartz said “the safety of our guests is our top priority, and we are investigating the incident."
A job posting on Vail’s website includes an opening for an “experienced lift mechanic” at Attitash. Vail did not answer questions about whether that position was filled or whether Attitash was fully staffed with lift mechanics.
The New Hampshire Passenger Tramway Safety Board, which is responsible for ski lift inspections in the state, is assisting with the State Fire Marshal's investigation.
