Employee dies, another injured when maintenance basket falls from ski area chairlift

GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) - One person died and a second was rushed to the hospital after a maintenance basket fell from a chairlift at a ski area in Oregon on Thursday.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded about 9:30 a.m. to reports that two employees had fallen from the upper-bowl chairlift at Mt. Hood Skibowl East into rugged terrain.

A third person at the scene said they had started CPR.

Crews found the party shortly after 10 a.m. Due to the remote location, responders used all-terrain vehicles and air medical resources to reach the party.

“This was a complex and challenging incident in difficult terrain,” Hoodland Fire officials said. “We appreciate the coordinated efforts of all responding agencies and extend our thoughts to those impacted.”

One of the employees had already died by the time rescue crews arrived. The second employee was rushed to the hospital via helicopter.

“Being that we’re a small mountain community, I imagine there are people in the community that know what happened or will soon find out and will need to take some time to process,” Scott Kline, the Hoodland Fire District division chief, told KPTV.

Deputies said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified about the death and will investigate.

When contacted for comment, Mt. Hood Skibowl said, “We are focused on our employees’ families and team members and have no further comments at this time.”

No other information, including the identities of the victims, has been released at this time.