Five people in Boston were hit by an avalanche of snow sliding from the roof of an ice rink that completely covered one of the men, and partially buried the others. The people were walking on a path that is a popular route to a nearby shopping area at about 6:30. Police spokesperson Jeremy Warnick said the people had the “unfortunate luck” of being on the path at the exact moment the slide happened.

A 34-year-old man was completely buried and partially dug out by his brother an a skating rink employee before firefighters arrived and freed him. That man and 20-year-old Michaella Costa were sent to the hospital complaining of neck injuries. Costa said she literally thought she was going to die as she was trapped by the snow. She said she could hear other people screaming for help.

Robert Biasella, an employee of the ice rink, said a woman ran in “frantically asking for help.” Biasella and his supervisor ran outside, where they saw one woman crying as she was helped out of the snow. They saw another man in the snow. Biasella said they got shovels and dug frantically, helping to free a man who was buried waist-deep. That man used a shovel to find his brother, who was completely buried. They managed to clear snow around the man before firefighters arrived.

The roof is being inspected, although fire officials said it appears undamaged. Owned by the state, the rink is managed by Facilities Management Corp., which has responsibility for maintenance and day-to-day operations.

Neither of the people taken to the hospital is seriously injured.