Spanish ski lift collapses

MADRID, March 2 (UPI) -- A ski lift collapsed Monday at the Sierra Nevada ski resort in Spain, leaving 23 people injured, Spanish officials said.

Lift cables snapped, causing towers to topple and six chairlifts to fall to the ground from as high as 26 feet in the air, The Daily Telegraph Monday.

At least 35 other skiers were stranded on the mountain lift, which served a beginner's slope, until they were rescued by resort maintenance.

Two of those hurt were taken to a hospital with minor chest injuries and the others suffered cuts and bruises, the British newspaper said.

"I saw the lifts ahead fall into the snow with people colliding and bouncing around below. It was terrifying," said Joao Paulo Do Santos, a ski instructor who was on the lift at the time. "People were very frightened and there was lots of shouting. When the lift stopped some skiers jumped from their chairs into the snow below."

Recent snowfall at the resort, located in the southern region of Andalusia, cushioned the impact for those who fell.

Cetursa, the company that manages the ski resort, began investigating the cause of the accident. Initial reports indicated a mechanical problem, rather than weather, was to blame, a company spokesman said.