Police & Fire

Park City Mountain fined for safety violation leading to death of on duty ski patroller

PARK CITY, Utah — An investigative report by Fox 13 states Park City Mountain violated safety standards in an accident where a tree fell on a lift line resulting in the death of on duty Ski Patroller Christian Helger on January 2, 2023.

The accident took place at around 10:45 a.m. when an on-duty employee riding the Short Cut chairlift was knocked off the lift after the line was hit by a tree.

Helger fell at least 25 feet, and although Park City Mountain ski patrol immediately performed lifesaving efforts, he did not survive.

The Fox 13 report details that Utah requires lift lines to have a 5-foot clearance zone free of tree branches and all other vegetation. The citation from Utah Occupational Safety and Health (UOSH) rated the violation as “serious.” The OSHA citation finds Park City Mountain Resort failed to keep its workplace free from hazards. UOSH is proposing a penalty of $2,500. A spokesman for UOSH declined to provide comment citing a pending appeal by the resort.

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