POCATELLO — Tragedy struck in East Idaho during the weekend before Christmas when five people died in four separate incidents, including an avalanche and a house fire.

Two 17-year-old Rigby boys died in an avalanche west of Driggs on Friday afternoon.

Family members identified the boys as Kade McKinlay and Janson Webster, the Associated Press reported Monday.

The Teton County Sheriff’s Office said the avalanche buried both boys around 2:50 p.m. near Relay Ridge in the Ryan Peak area.

It was reported to the Sheriff’s Office that McKinlay and Webster, along with two other friends, were snowmobiling and skiing in the Relay Ridge area when the avalanche occurred, according to the Associated Press.

Search and rescue teams from Teton and Madison counties in Idaho, Teton County in Wyoming and an emergency helicopter responded and recovered the bodies.

The cause of the avalanche remains under investigation.

No avalanche warnings were in effect on Friday in East Idaho but the region was hit by multiple snowstorms during the week.

The Teton County Sheriff’s Office “encourages all persons to make themselves aware of avalanche conditions and other adverse weather conditions before recreating in back-country areas.”

A 62-year-old Idaho Falls man died in a house fire there on Friday.

The Idaho Falls Fire Department was dispatched to the 300 block of East 13th Street for a report of a structure fire at approximately 5:30 p.m.

A neighbor from across the street reported seeing fire inside the house with a lot of smoke.

Three engines, a ladder truck, two ambulances and a battalion chief responded. When firefighters arrived they reported heavy smoke coming from the front door of a single-family home. One disabled man was inside the home, but his exact location was unknown. The other adult occupant was not home at the time of the fire.

The entire main floor of the home was fully involved in fire, but firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

The 62-year-old man was found deceased inside the home. There were no other injuries to civilians or first responders.

The estimated damages are not known at this time. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Idaho Falls Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Division.

“The Idaho Falls Fire Department extends our deepest sympathies to the family,” said Kerry Hammon, Idaho Falls Fire public information officer. “Unfortunately we had added challenges tonight due to motorists attempting to go around law enforcement and enter the scene. When you see lights and sirens, please stay away from the area and find alternate routes of travel, giving emergency responders room to work.”

A 26-year-old Meridian man was killed around 8:21 p.m. Saturday when he was struck by a motorist near the northbound off-ramp of Interstate 15 at exit 116 near Idaho Falls, according to Idaho State Police.

A 41-year-old man from Shelley was driving a white 2003 Chevrolet Silverado northbound when the 26-year-old man from Meridian ran out into the road and was struck by the vehicle, state police said.

The 26-year-old man died at the scene of the crash, according to state police.

State police were assisted on scene by the Idaho Falls Police Department, Idaho Falls Ambulance and Idaho Falls Fire. The northbound off-ramp was closed for approximately 1.5 hours.

A 54-year-old Rigby woman died in a crash on U.S. Highway 20 near milepost 317, west of Rigby, following a multi-vehicle crash reported around 8:55 a.m. Sunday, state police said.

Traffic was slowed due to an incident on the westbound lanes of Highway 20 when a 26-year-old Rexburg woman driving eastbound on Highway 20 in a 2007 Ford Fusion failed to slow for traffic and rear-ended a 2014 Honda Civic driven by the 54-year-old Rigby woman, state police said.

The Honda spun and struck a 2018 Toyota 4Runner driven by a 64-year-old man from Telluride, Colorado.

All occupants were wearing their seatbelts.

The 54-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries at the scene of the crash.

The lanes were blocked for approximately three hours while crews worked to clear the scene.

State police were assisted at the scene by the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Falls Fire Department and Idaho Transportation Department.