Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish closed after cable collapse
Credit to Author: Tiffany Crawford| Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2019 20:23:01 +0000
The Sea To Sky Gondola in Squamish is closed after a cable detached and multiple gondolas came crashing to the ground causing significant damage early Saturday morning.
No one was injured, and the RCMP has taken over the investigation into what happened.
The busy attraction was set to open at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, but the company says, in an alert on its website, that due to a major lift incident it will be closed for the foreseeable future.
The Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish.
Ken Bailey, a spokesperson for Sea to Sky Gondola, said at around 4:30 a.m., they received an alert that the haul rope for the gondola had fallen and that the lift was “inoperable.”
In a short statement, he said no guests or staff were on the gondola and no injuries were sustained in the incident.
“The gondola is currently closed and we will provide updates as they become available,” he said.
At approx 4:30am we received an alert that the haul rope for Sea to Sky Gondola had fallen and the lift inoperable. No guests or staff were on the gondola and no injuries were sustained in the incident. The gondola is currently closed. More updates as they become available.
Technical Safety B.C., which oversees all the tramways, gondolas, chairlifts, rope tows and passenger conveyors in B.C., WorkSafeBC and the RCMP is investigating the collapse.
Mounties in Squamish are investigating after the cable broke at Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish early Saturday morning and several cars crashed to the ground. No one was injured in this incident.
Squamish RCMP Const. Ashley MacKay says Mounties were called to the Sea to Sky Gondola shortly after 8:45 a.m.
She says an employee, working at the summit, heard a loud bang and discovered the cable had broken.
“Our investigation is in the preliminary stages and the cause is undetermined,” said MacKay.
“Right now we are looking at all possibilities which includes those criminal in nature.”
The RCMP is requesting that people stay away from the area, which includes all the trails that have accessibility to the area.
Kathryn McGuffickle, a spokesperson for Technical Safety B.C., said they are aware of the incident and that safety officers have been sent to investigate.
“We’re unable to speculate on causes at this time, and will provide details once our investigation is complete. However, we can state that no injuries have been reported to Technical Safety B.C.,” said McGuffickle, in an email.
@Seatoskygondola indefinitely closed. No injuries. Significant damage. Updates to come. #squamish pic.twitter.com/MmjSeAJjXv
Bailey said it was too early to say whether the company’s plans for expansion and the 34-metre high tree walk would be put on hold.
Sea to Sky Gondola general manager Kirby Brown has declined an interview, and the company is referring all questions to the RCMP.
However, earlier he told the CBC that almost all of the 30 gondola cars attached to the cable fell to the ground, and that the cable line had recently been inspected and found to be in good shape. He speculated that it may have been an act of vandalism.
Photos posted by Twitter user John Barry show the gondola collapsed and on the ground.
Photos of cars on the ground and detached cables from the sea to sky gondola's overnight collapse #squamish #gondola #seatoskygondola pic.twitter.com/oQlaUBhGvx
Sea to Sky Gondola has 30 gondolas that hold eight people in each. They climb 850 metres to reach an elevation of 885 metres above Howe Sound, an take approximately 10 minutes to reach the top, according to the company.
More to come…
A friend is telling me that the S2S gondola has collapsed at 4am last night. He says it looks like a cable broke. #Squamish #gondola
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