2 injured after chairlift detached from line at Washington ski resort

CHEWELAH, Wash. (AP) - Two people were injured after a chairlift detached from its line at an eastern Washington ski resort, according to a news release from the resort.

The Bellingham Herald reports a chair carrying two people broke from the lift line on Chair 1 at 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort in Chewelah at 11 a.m. on Dec. 5, the release said. Chewelah is in eastern Washington state, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Spokane.

Ski patrol immediately attended to the guests who fell and escorted them to the patrol room, the release said. They sustained minor injuries, according to the release.

Operators stopped the lift for about 20 minutes for inspection before running the chair and safely unloading the rest of the guests, the release said. The resort is investigating and the chair will remain closed until further notice, according to the release.

“We will be working with industry experts and regulatory agencies to identify and rectify the issue,” the release said.