Utah ski resort employee dies after tree cuts chairlift cable

A 29-year-old Utah man died Monday after a fallen tree damaged the chair lift at the Park City ski resort where he worked.

The man fell from the lift chair into a deep snow ravine, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Monday. Authorities identified him Wednesday as Christian Helger, according to KSL-TV, an NBC affiliate.

Investigators believe a pine tree struck the cable behind Helger’s chair Monday morning, causing him to fall as the chairs began to move up and down.

Authorities were called to the scene by a ski patrol for an airlift at 11:25 a.m., but the man was unresponsive and rescue efforts failed.

Deirdra Walsh, vice president of Park City Mountain Resort, confirmed in a statement that the man was an employee of the resort.

“The Park City Mountain team, as well as the entire Vail Resorts team, extends our deepest condolences and support to the family and friends of our team member,” Walsh said. “We are all deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and we will support our employees as we mourn this devastating loss.”

The Park City Mountain Ski Patrol safely rescued 10 other people who were on the gondola at the time of the incident.