Colorado roof avalanche buries two teens, one seriously injured

A roof avalanche from a Colorado home left two teens buried in the snow, while one was seriously injured, according to officials.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) said the two teens were playing outside a home in Breckenridge, Colorado when snow came rushing down the roof.

The teens were partially buried in the snow, one of whom was seriously injured in what could have been a fatal incident.

"This is a tragic accident. Like any avalanche accident, we want to warn people about being caught in a similar event," CAIC director Ethan Greene said. "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."

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Breckenridge is located about 80 miles west of Denver, at the base of what’s known as the Rocky Mountains’ Tenmile Range.

The CAIC said roof avalanches can seriously injure or even kill people.

Roof avalanches can occur during large snowstorms or when there is a rapid rise in temperature after an intense storm.

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The CAIC said the last time a roof avalanche was fatal was on March 16, 2023, near Durango. The avalanche buried two children and a father, and tragically, one of the children died.

Over the last 30 years, five people have died in Colorado roof avalanches, though the CAIC said there were many more injuries and close calls.

If a roof has a thick build-up of snow, the agency recommends paying attention to the situation and keeping a shovel nearby to help locate victims, should they become buried.