BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An 8-year-old boy survived a 38-foot fall from a Wood River Valley chairlift with no visible injuries after ski patrollers moved a lift-tower pad beneath him to break the force of the impact.

KTVB-TV reports the youngster likely slipped out of his jacket and dangled from the lift for about five minutes before plunging to a flat cat track below. Ski patrollers had time to unhook a 5-foot by 5-foot safety pad from a nearby lift tower. They held it under the boy, to break his fall. Patrol supervisor Bryant Dunn says the patrollers used the pad for a "fireman's catch."

Sun Valley ski guide Kent Kreitler says he witnessed the fall and credits fast thinking by patrollers from saving the boy from injury. The youngster, meanwhile, resumed skiing on Monday.

More From News Radio 1310 KLIX