Firefighter, teen killed in avalanche

written by Colleen Locke posted by Dan Boniface written by Dan Weaver

2 years ago

GRAND COUNTY - A South Metro firefighter, one of two snowmobilers killed in an avalanche in Grand County Saturday, was trying to help a teen in trouble when he died, according to a friend and co-worker.

"He was trying to help someone else who was in trouble, and it cost him his life,” Michael Porter, a friend and co-worker, said.

"We are still in shock and trying to help the family and the fire department," Becky O'Guin told 9NEWS.

Sunday morning, the Grand County Coroner's Office identified the firefighter as 38-year-old Brian Kopp of Larkspur. They say 19-year-old Mark Goetz of Arvada also died in the avalanche.

"He dedicated his life to others," Michael Porter, a friend and co-worker of Kopp, said of the fallen firefighter.

Porter worked out of the same fire station as Kopp, Station 34, located at 8871 Maximus Dr., near Park Meadows.

"We live with each other at our job, and it's like losing a brother," said Porter, who described the firefighters as "a very close knit family."

The Grand County Sheriff's Office says it started as a snowmobiling trip among friends. Deputies say Mark Goetz and Brian Kopp began snowmobiling around 10:30 a.m. near Grand Lake with 59-year-old Chuck Goetz and 32-year-old Harry Than.

Around 2:40 p.m., deputies say Mark Goetz and Brian Kopp rode their snowmobiles up the side of Gravel Mountain, but on a steep slope between Little Gravel and Gravel Mountain, both Kopp and Goetz got stuck.

Deputies say Chuck Goetz rode his snowmobile toward them from above to help them try to get their snowmobiles running again. However, when he did, an avalanche swept all three of them down the mountain.

Chuck Goetz was able to get out of the snow and survived, but deputies say Mark Goetz and Brian Kopp were buried.

When they were dug out of the snow, CPR was performed on them in hopes of reviving them, but both men died at the scene, according to deputies.

Porter says a survivor of the avalanche told him Kopp was rushing to help Goetz, who had gotten into trouble on the mountain, even though he knew it could be dangerous.

"He was trying to help someone else who was in trouble, and it cost him his life," Porter said.

Porter says Kopp left behind his wife Jennifer and the couple's 12-year-old twins, a boy and a girl.

"He thought the world of his family," said Porter.