Maine ski resort focuses on safety after chairlift accidents

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine (AP) — A Maine ski resort that's responsible for two of three chairlift mechanical failures that led to injuries in the past five years is working to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Skiers are far more likely to be hurt driving to the resort or skiing down the slopes than riding on lifts, according to the National Ski Areas Association.

At Sugarloaf, investigators determined the mechanical failure on the 27-year-old King Pine quad was caused by a broken drive shaft in a gearbox that allowed the lift to begin moving backward.

In addition to regular maintenance, workers drained the oil from the gear boxes on all of the lifts and used a scope to examine components for excessive wear.

The Maine Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety has not released its final report on its investigation, but it issued a series of recommendations over the summer to ski resorts with similar lifts, said spokesman Doug Dunbar.

Maine ski resorts have a good track record, and there's never been a chairlift fatality caused by a mechanical problem in Maine.