7 injured in Maine chairlift accident

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine – A chairlift at a Maine ski resort stopped and then began sliding backward down the mountain Saturday, prompting frantic riders to jump off and injuring seven, officials and witnesses said.

The accident happened just days before the resort is to host the U.S. Alpine Championships starting Tuesday.

Four people were taken to a hospital from Sugarloaf Mountain Resort, though none are believed to have life-threatening injuries, resort spokesman Ethan Austin said.

Sugarloaf officials said Saturday’s accident was a “rollback” that carried riders backward a distance of about 450 feet.

The 3,400-foot chairlift receives routine daily inspections for safety, Austin said. It passed state inspection on Oct. 29.