Worker dies at NC Zoo

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ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro announced today (Thursday) that an employee had been “fatally injured in a workplace accident” this morning.

A representative from the N.C. Labor Dept. told WTVD that the worker was an arborist who was “engaged in an aerial rescue drill, fell 20-30 feet from a tree and died at the scene.”

The name of the employee has not been released.

The accident occurred prior to the zoo's opening this morning. Initially, the Zoo closed its Africa section to visitors, but closed the entire park at 2 p.m. to facilitate investigations by local Sheriff's Department and the Department of Labor.

"The entire Zoo community is deeply saddened by this loss and our thoughts and sympathies are with the family of our team member," Zoo officials said in a statement.

The statement noted that no animals were involved in the incident.

NC Zoo, Death, Employee