A man from New Jersey suffocated to death at a Colorado ski resort when he fell through a gap in a chairlift and became trapped with his coat wrapped around his neck, officials said.

The freak accident occurred last Thursday at Vail Mountain’s Blue Sky Basin area, resulting in the death of 46-year-old Jason Varnish, of Short Hills, according to the Vail Daily.

An autopsy concluded Varnish died of positional asphyxia, according to Eagle County Coroner Kara Bettis, the report said.

An initial investigation determined the chairlift’s folding seat was upright, leaving a gap. When Varnish slipped through, his coat got caught on the chair, trapping his airway.

“The coat ended up going around his head and neck area putting his neck in a position that compromised his airway,” Bettis told the paper.

Blue Sky Basin temporarily closed after the death, but reopened by midday Friday.

“We take all incidents seriously and are conducting a full investigation,” Vail Resorts said in a statement.

“The lift has been thoroughly inspected and is operating normally.”

With Post wires