By Kelsy Been
On March 18, two teens were playing outside a home in Breckenridge when a roof avalanche occurred. Both teens were partially buried in the debris and one was seriously injured.
“This is a tragic accident. Like any avalanche accident, we want to warn people about being caught in a similar event,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene. “Roof avalanches are a problem every year in mountain communities, but right now we have a lot of snow in unusual places. We remain concerned about this hazard throughout the week.”
Roof avalanches can seriously injure or kill people. Roof avalanches often release during a large snowstorm or when there is rapid warming following a big storm. CAIC recommends the following safety advice when a roof has a thick build-up of snow:
- Always pay attention to snowy roofs above you, and do not play with icicles.
- Minimize the amount of time you spend below snow-loaded roofs.
- Watch exposed people and keep a shovel nearby to locate someone.
- Shovel roofs early to reduce the snow load and potential consequences of larger roof avalanches.
The last roof avalanche fatality in Colorado occurred on March 16, 2023, near Durango when two children and a father were buried in a slide, and tragically one child died. Five people have lost their lives in roof avalanches in Colorado in the last 30 years, and there have been many more injuries and close calls.
See this resource on roof avalanche safety to learn more.
Kelsy Been is Public Information Officer with Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
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