Utah fire chief dies in rafting accident in Colorado

DINOSAUR, Colorado – A 27-year-old veteran of the Salt Lake City Fire Department who served during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has died in a rafting accident in Colorado.

Fire officials identified Captain Michael Harp, 50, of Sandy, Utah, as the victim who died in the accident during a privately permitted trip along the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument.

The Moffat County Sheriff’s Office said memorial staff were notified by a commercial rafting company around 4 p.m. Thursday that a boat was stuck on a rock in Hells Half Mile rapids and that one person in the group was missing and believed to be trapped under the raft.

The group managed to untie the boat, but when Harp was torn loose, he was unresponsive and, having lost his life jacket, drifted downstream.

River Patal Rangers travelled by raft through the Lodore Canyon and intercepted the group; additional reinforcements also arrived by car.

At about 7:45 a.m. Friday, Harp’s body was found by guides about 10 miles downstream from the accident site.

Harp was a second-generation firefighter, following his father, who also served there.

He was a dedicated member of Utah Task Force 1 and was deployed to Ground Zero in New York City following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

“Captain Michael Harp dedicated his life not only to the citizens of Salt Lake City, but also to his fellow firefighters,” the fire department posted on social media. “His legacy of service, leadership, compassion and infectious laughter will be forever remembered by all who knew him.”

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