Salt Lake City Fire Captain Identified As Man Who Died In Colorado Rafting Accident

Lina Portman6 days ago

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A Utah fire captain has been identified as the man who died in 'rafting accident' in Colorado earlier this week, officials said.

Capt. Michael Harp, 54, was rafting along the Green River when he was involved in the accident, according to a news release from the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Harp was a second-generation firefighter and a 27-year veteran of the Salt Lake City Fire Department, the department said.

An undated image of Salt Lake City Fire Department Captain Michael Harp. Captain Harp died in a rafting accident along the Green River in June 2024. (Courtesy of the Salt Lake City Fire Department)
An undated image of Captain Michael Harp of the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Captain Harp died in a rafting accident along the Green River in June 2024. (Courtesy: Salt Lake City Fire Department)
An undated image of Captain Michael Harp of the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Captain Harp died in a rafting accident along the Green River in June 2024. (Courtesy Salt Lake City Fire Department)

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

THE Press release said Harp was deployed to Ground Zero on September 11 and was a “dedicated member of Utah's Task Force 1.” The Salt Lake City Fire Department expressed its condolences to the family and asked the public to respect the family.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and fellow firefighters during this difficult time,” firefighters said.

The National Park Service told ABC4.com that the Moffat County Coroner's Office in Colorado confirmed that the man who died at Dinosaur National Monument earlier this week was identified as 54-year-old Michael Harp.

According to a June 28 National Park Service press releaseHarp was on a “permitted private excursion on the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument” Thursday afternoon.

On Thursday, around 4 p.m., authorities were notified that a boat was stuck against a rock and one person was missing from the group. When the boat was freed, officials said Harp drifted downstream after losing his life jacket.

His body was found approximately 10 miles downstream from the incident at around 7:45 a.m. on Friday, June 28.

Dinosaur National Monument is a park that spans more than 210,000 acres in Utah and Colorado, the NPS said, and is known for whitewater rafting along the Green and Yampa rivers.