Parent and 2 children hospitalized by snow falling from Purgatory Resort condo's roof
Heavy snow fell from the roof of a Purgatory Resort ski condominium Thursday and struck a parent and two children. The extent of their injuries was not made public, but all three individuals were flown by aircraft to medical facilities on Colorado's Front Range.
The incident happened at about 6 p.m., according to a report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The "roof slide" was classified as an avalanche by the organization.
Personnel from the Durango Fire & Rescue responded to the scene and dug the trio out.
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Karola Hanks for Durango Fire & Rescue said the precise conditions which contributed to Thursday's roof slide have not yet been determined. But there is more snow in the area than usual, particularly considering the below-average snowfall measured the last couple years, Hanks said
Also complicating the dangers of rooftop snow, per Hanks, is the fact snowfall has come down in "waves" this year. A freeze-thaw pattern has promoted the buildup of layers. Instead of each storm's snow sloughing off roofs in increments, icy buildup creates "snow dams." Each new round of snow piles upon frozen snow, and the cycle repeats until the collected amount releases in dangerously heavy chunks.
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Hanks said one fire department employee had snow slide from their personal residence's roof the week before Thursday's incident. The force of the slide tore out a roof vent and left a hole in the roof.
The department itself made the decision to clear the roof of a headquarters building where deep snow posed a hazard to people walking into or out of the entrance.
"And that's only a single-story building," Hanks said. "If you're looking at a second-, third-, or fourth-story building, you're looking at some damage" and potential greater injury to people below.
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The fire department is headquartered in Durango. The elevation in town is 6,500 feet. The resort sits at 8,800 feet and receives greater depths of snow. The resort has received 338 inches of snow this ski season.