Sixteen hurt as chairlift support collapses

Sixteen people were injured and several were trapped when a pole supporting a chairlift in south-eastern Australia collapsed today, emergency workers said.

About 70 people were riding on the Arthur’s Seat chairlift in Victoria state when the accident happened.

The chairlift, which overlooks the picturesque Mornington Peninsula and Port Phillip Bay, is 950 yards long and rises 740 feet above the ground. It has about 80 open-air chairs, which each seat two people.

Ray Gerring, who runs an art gallery across the road from the chairlift, said as many as 12 chairs fell to the ground.

“Some (of those injured) were in the chairs, some were a little from them,” he said.

Ambulance spokesman James Howe said emergency workers were called to the scene about 2.20pm (local time) to treat 14 adults and children for neck and spinal injuries before being ferrying them to a nearby hospital.

Two people were airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in the state capital Melbourne, about 60 miles north, with spinal injuries, police said.

A spokesman for workplace safety agency WorkSafe Victoria said some people were still trapped on the chair lift.

Fire authorities had 10 trucks, including a platform with a hydraulic arm and a boom, and 50 firefighters at the scene.