Maine ski resort shuts down 2nd chairlift less than 2 weeks after lift accident injured 7

A Maine ski resort has shut down a second chairlift less than two weeks after a malfunction on another lift injured seven skiers.

Sugarloaf ski area announced Thursday that it had taken the Timberline lift out of service as a precaution after a maintenance crew found the drive shaft had an abnormal level of wear and tear.

Seven skiers were injured on March 21 when the King Pine chairlift malfunctioned. An investigation determined that the accident was caused by a broken drive shaft in a gearbox that allowed the lift to move in reverse and by a brake system that failed to stop the lift because of a design flaw.

Three of the seven skiers injured were hospitalized.

The King Pine and Timberline lifts are of similar design.