In this case, probably two people would have died in the avalanche. Safe spaces sometimes only exist in a campus fantasy world.
This time of year is especially dangerous for avalanches, as depth hoar slides are common with variable temperatures.
There should always be two people at minimum, they should always cross slide paths one at a time so the other can start the search and call for help if a slide occurs and buries the other person.
It is not unheard of to survive even a serious slide if you can be found quickly.