At least five people were injured when a cable car collapsed in Nalchik

A chairlift collapsed in the resort area of Nalchik, at least five people were injured. The passengers of the cable car are being evacuated, investigators are working at the scene of the emergency.

Information about the incident in Nalchik was received today at 17.45 Moscow time, rescuers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other emergency services left for the scene of the emergency.

“According to preliminary information, there are casualties,” the Ministry of Emergency Situations for Kabardino-Balkaria reported. At 18.40 Moscow time, the department reported the evacuation of people from the cable car. “Currently, 10 people have been evacuated. One woman was injured. Rescue operations are ongoing,” the official channel of the republican Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

The head of the region, Kazbek Kokov, reported on his Telegram channel that at least five people were injured, there were no fatalities. Kokov also convened an operational meeting in connection with the incident, noting that decisions would be made at it on further assistance to the victims.

“According to preliminary information, five people were injured. All emergency services are working on the scene. The employees of the Center for Disaster Medicine are providing all necessary assistance to the victims, and they are being transported to the Republican Clinical Hospital,” he wrote.

Unofficial sources, in turn, report a larger number of victims. “Beware, News” reported about ten victims, and the SHOT Telegram channel reported 14.

“The height of the fall of people from the cable car in Nalchik is 4-7 meters. According to preliminary information, there are no serious injuries (...) Preliminary, only one woman went to the hospital, the rest of the tourists were helped on the spot,” writes Telegram channel 112, without specifying the total number of victims.

The cable car where the accident occurred is located in the city park. It was built in 1968, the main reason for the cable break was said to be wear and tear of the lift. Tourists have repeatedly complained about the condition of the cable car, a ticket for which costs 500 rubles: they wrote that the lift is "very old", "everything is rusty" and "everything is held together by snot", and also criticized the design: "a seat with a chain and that's it". Visitors have expressed doubts about the safety of the attraction in reviews on Yandex for several years, and local residents "do not remember the attraction being reconstructed even once in the decades of its existence", notes the Telegram channel "Sapa Kavkaz".

Investigators are working at the scene of the incident, who are interviewing witnesses of the emergency, the work of emergency services is coordinated by the acting prosecutor of Nalchik Timur Arkhipov. The Kabardino-Balkarian Prosecutor's Office reported on an investigation into the incident, and the Investigative Committee reported on the initiation of a criminal case under the article on the provision of unsafe services resulting in serious harm (Part 2 of Article 238 of the Russian Criminal Code provides for up to six years of imprisonment or up to five years of forced labor).

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