Ski resort employee plunges 25 feet to their death when tree crashes into lift in Utah
UPDATE: The worker was identified Wednesday, Jan. 4, as 29-year-old Christian Helger from Millcreek, according to the Summit County Sheriff.
The original story is below.
A ski resort worker died after a tree fell onto a lift cable and they tumbled 25 feet to their death in Utah.
The accident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 2 when the tree fell onto the line of Short Cut chairlift at the Park City Mountain ski resort, a spokesperson told McClatchy News. The on-duty worker was riding the chairlift and was knocked out of their seat on the lift, falling “from a height of at least 25 feet,” the spokesperson said in an email.
Park City Mountain ski patrol tried to save the employee’s life, but they died from their injuries.
“The Park City Mountain team — as well as the entire Vail Resorts team — extend our deepest sympathy and support to the family and friends of our team member,” said Deirdra Walsh, Park City Mountain’s vice president and chief operating officer. “We are all deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and we will be providing support for our employees as we grieve this devastating loss.”
Park City Mountain did not identify the employee.
Ski patrol evacuated 10 others who were on the Short Cut chairlift by 1 p.m., officials said. The resort closed several of its nearby lifts on Monday and into Tuesday, and Short Cut will stay closed while officials investigate the incident, officials said.
This story was originally published January 3, 2023 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Ski resort employee plunges 25 feet to their death when tree crashes into lift in Utah."
