Man dead after being buried in roof avalanche near Brighton

BRIGHTON, Utah — Police say a 50-year-old man was killed after being buried by a roof avalanche at a cabin in Big Cottonwood Canyon. 

Brighton Mayor Dan Knopp told KSL the man, identified as Ryan Peterson, of Holladay, came to Brighton Loop Road on Monday to check on a cabin that he owns along with multiple families who use it recreationally.

“He came up to clean, check the cabin, clean some snow on the roof and the roof let go and he ended up underneath the snow,” Knopp said.

Knopp said the man’s brothers came to look for him Tuesday morning after he didn’t return.

“His brothers came up to check on him the next morning because he never came home and they found him,” Knopp said. “That was terrible. Our heart goes out to the family. It’s just the worst.”

Sgt. Melody Cutler with the Unified Police Department said canyon officers were dispatched for a welfare check Tuesday and found Peterson buried in snow outside of the cabin.

“We believe he had attempted to clear snow from the roof and came down with the snow,” Cutler said.

“Officers were able to see a portion of his boot and an arm.”

The town of Brighton released a statement about the death Wednesday:

The Mayor and Council Members of the Town of Brighton express their deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of the 50-year-old man who lost his life to a roof avalanche Monday evening.

The Town is issuing the following recommendations:

1) Please stay off your roofs, it is too dangerous.

2) It is safer to let the snow melt naturally at this point rather than trying to remove the snow.

3) If you see any deflection in your roof beams or cracked roof joints, notify a professional roofer immediately. They will have equipment to remove the snow safely and securely.

4) Keep children and pets away from any areas on or around roofs.

Knopp said the tragic death was a reminder of the real threat of roof avalanches.

“We help each other, we’re a very tight community, everybody’s shaken by this but it’s a wakeup call to everyone to be extra aware,” he said.

Unified Fire Authority public information officer Kelly Bird said he recommends people stay off their roofs and hire a professional service to help with snow removal.

“They have the tools, they have the manpower, they have the resources to do it in a safe capacity,” Bird said.

If people prefer to do it themselves, he said to dress in layers.

“There’s more possibility for hypothermia or frostbite if you are spending too much time in and you don’t have the right kind of gloves and outerwear,” he said.

He said to use tools like roof rakes to clear off some of the snow, not all of it.

“There are some actual tools that are designed to get snow off of the roof with extension poles so that you can reach it from the ground, you’re not having to get up on ladders,” Bird said.

He said most importantly, people should never try to clear snow alone.

“You just get stuck almost like cement in there and so having somebody that can dig you out and help you in that situation is very favorable for you,” Bird said.

Last month, a man was buried by a roof avalanche at another Big Cottonwood Canyon property. He was freed and received medical treatment at the scene.

Avalanche forecasters have warned about an increased risk of roof avalanches due to record-breaking snowfall this winter.

Knopp said “roofalanches” aren’t new in the town, but they’ve certainly “got my attention this year.”

“Weird things start happening when you get this much snow,” he said.

Snow slid off of one of his employee’s homes and “flattened her Tesla” in February, while the weight of the snow was too much and crushed a garage with a car inside at another property.