Girl injured in chairlift mishap clinging to life in hospital, police say

A 13-year-old girl who was seriously injured in a chairlift mishap during a school trip to a western Quebec ski hill is clinging to life in hospital, according to local police.

“We’re still fearing for her life,” said MRC des Collines Sgt. Martin Fournel.

Fournel said the girl’s clothing became tangled as she attempted to dismount a double chairlift at the top of Centre Vorlage’s hill near Wakefield around 2 p.m. Wednesday. He said the chairlift continued operating as the girl hung from it.

Adults attempted to rescue the girl but “they were not able to take her off the chair and the decision was made at one point that the easiest way to get her off the chair was to bring her back down to the bottom of the hill,” Fournel said.

The girl was not breathing by the time they reached the bottom, where first responders were waiting with two doctors who happened to be at the hill that day.

They performed CPR and the girl was rushed to hospital in Wakefield, then transferred to CHEO, the children’s hospital in Ottawa.

Provincial social workers were mobilized Wednesday to assist roughly 20 witnesses as well as police officers who responded to the emergency call.

“Let’s just say that was a very difficult scene to watch for many witnesses,” Fournel said.

Fournel said his thoughts are also with the girl’s family.

“I cannot imagine being a parent myself getting that kind of phone call,” he said.

On Thursday, a spokesperson of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board said plans are in place to assist those affected by the incident.

“Our thoughts are with the student, their family, and the entire school community during this deeply difficult time,” wrote Diane Pernari, the board’s general manager of communications and public relations, in a statement to CBC.

“Student well-being is always paramount, and we have taken immediate steps to support those affected, including ensuring mental health professionals are available to assist students and staff following the trip and in the days ahead.”

In a separate statement Thursday, La Pêche Mayor Guillaume Lamoureux said: “We are all devastated by what happened; our thoughts are with the young victim and her family.”

Fournel said the police investigation is ongoing. The Régie du bâtiment du Québec, which is responsible for inspecting ski lifts in the province, will also look at whether a mechanical malfunction played a role in the incident.