Huge Boulder Falls Onto House In Utah

A massive boulder has crashed into a house in southern Utah in the middle of the night, almost crushing to death a woman sleeping inside.

Wanda Denhalter was sleeping alone in the early hours of Saturday when the 12ft by 9ft rock came barrelling through the wall of her bedroom in St George.

The 63-year-old suffered a broken jaw, cracked sternum and a major gash in her leg.

She needed four hours of emergency surgery and was left in great pain - but is expected to make a full recovery and is just grateful to be alive.

Her husband, 62-year-old Scot Denhalter, said the boulder broke off from a cliff above their rented home.

He was away at his son's house at the time but has said his wife would have been killed if he had been occupying his usual spot in the bed.

"Had I been there, she would have been killed," Mr Denhalter said. "She would have been on her side of the bed."

The rock had dropped about 40ft after breaking off and then hit a slope leading to the house.

It bounced down and broke in two before ending up in the corner of the bedroom.

St George city spokesman Marc Mortensen said it is not uncommon for rocks and boulders to roll down the many hills in the area, but it is rare for them to hit homes.

"It’s a rare occurrence. It was an act of nature," he said.

"Rain, wind, snow and frost all play a factor in the soil composition on hillsides. They are constantly shifting to some degree."

But that is cold comfort to the Denhalters who have decided they will not be returning to live at the house.