An empty gondola fell off American Eagle new lift from manufacturer Leitner-Poma. No one was injured in a test-run incident, the lift will still open in Copper Mountain this Saturday.
A new Leitner Poma empty gondola cabin has crashed to the ground in Copper Mountain on Monday. Nobody was injured in this incident. The lift is scheduled to open Saturday, it was announced by the Summit County ski resort.
This incident happened at 11 AM, just after the gondola took off from the American Eagle base terminal. The lift was not open to the public as this happened during a testing procedure.
Leitner-Poma, the construction contractor, has reviewed the lift and concluded that it was not damaged. Copper Mountain is working closely with Leitner-Poma and the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board to ensure that the American Eagle lift will operate safely and reliably.
The new American Eagle lift, a chondola which carries a combination of 6-person chairs and 8-person gondola cabins, is replacing a high-speed quad at the resort. This lift will increase uphill capacity by more than 40 percent.
Statement from Copper Mountain, CO:
At approximately 11 a.m. on Nov. 26, a gondola cabin from the American Eagle lift, currently under construction, detached from its cable resulting in the cabin falling to the ground just after exiting the base terminal. The incident occurred during the testing process. The lift was not open to the public and no one was harmed.
A review by Leitner-Poma, the manufacturer and construction contractor, indicated that no critical components were damaged, and we do not anticipate additional delays as a result of this incident.
The safety of our employees, contractors and guests is our number one priority. Copper is working closely with the Leitner-Poma team and the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board to ensure that, once completed, the American Eagle lift will operate safely and reliably.
More info:
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Featured Image: Copper Mountain photo. A new Leitner-Poma empty gondola cabin from Copper Mountain Crashes to the Ground.
