Here is video of Sunday River’s Spruce Peak Triple after it was found mysteriously collapsed on Sunday. Director of communications for Sunday River Darcy Lambert spoke with Bangor Daily News and had some insight into the possible chain of events that lead to the collapse:
“It broke away from the ground and then it allowed the rope tension weight to pull the steel bull wheel down so with it, [so] it brought the foundation down. At that angle the haul rope was able to come off of the bull wheel, which lowered the chairs to the ground.”
She wanted to stress that the lift passed all state inspections and received regular maintenance:
“All of our lifts are inspected by the state on an annual basis, but there’s also a lot of other protocols and upkeep that happen just aside from the state. I’m surprised that it happened.”
Luckily no one was injured and this may serve as a catalyst for more stringent safety inspections for older lifts.