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KANAB — A man on his second day on the job died Tuesday while trying to help a rider on the Kanab Zipline, police said.
Darrel Gilly, 54, died after falling about 150 feet from the resort's zip line around 11 a.m. Gilly began working at Kanab Zipline on Monday and had moved to the area from California about a month ago, said Kanab Police Chief Tom Cram.
Gilly's job was to help zip line riders securely land, Cram said. One rider "had come in a little hot" and bounced back up the line, Cram said. Gilly reportedly jumped to attach to that rider in an attempt to secure them, but instead ended up being carried up the line by the momentum. He apparently lost his grip about 100 feet from the landing deck.
Bystanders administered CPR in an attempt to revive Gilly but were unsuccessful, Cram said. The zip line rider was "traumatized" but uninjured, he said.
Justin Barnes, Kanab Zipline general manager, said the resort's employees are stunned by Gilly's death.
"We have a 100 percent safety record. Safety always comes first, so we are working with the authorities to investigate why this accident happened," Barnes said.
Cram said his department hasn't responded to any injuries at Kanab Zipline in the three years since the resort opened. The Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division will be conducting a separate investigation into the incident, the chief said.
The Kanab Zipline reaches 350 feet high and runs at 35 mph, according to its website. The zipline-to-zipline tour crosses more than 2,500 feet.
Contributing: Ashley Kewish, Dave Cawley, Brianna Bodily
