Jan. 25 -- A ski patrolman died when an explosive device, used for avalanche control, accidentally detonated at California's Squaw Valley Ski Resort, local authorities said.
Joe Zuiches, 42, of Olympic Valley, Calif., was performing routine avalanche control duties Tuesday morning when a hand charge, a hand-held device containing ammonium nitrate, exploded, officials said. The accident occurred at the top of the resort's Gold Coast Ridge.
The skiing complex was closed for the rest of the day, and it was announced ridge lifts on the upper mountain would not operate on Wednesday.
The charges are regulated by state and federal authorities and are used to set off controlled avalanches to ensure public safety.
"Most hand charges are relatively safe. They are being used at ski resorts all over the United States,' said Lt. Alfredo Guitron of the Placer County Sheriff's Department. The department, as well as the FBI, Cal/Osha and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident.
Zuiches was a member of Squaw Valley's ski patrol since 2012.
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