ALDEN TOWNSHIP — A man was killed by a falling tree while out using a snowblower in rural St. Louis County Wednesday morning, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office.

Brian Pelander, 69, died after the sheriff's office said that high winds and heavy snow caused a tree to give way at his property in the 7400 block of Laine Road in Alden Township, north of Knife River.

First responders were called at 10:22 a.m. Pelander's wife reported she left for approximately 45 minutes as Pelander was out with a snowblower. She returned to find Pelander under a large downed tree, according to the sheriff's office.

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