ASHEBORO -- Officials at the North Carolina Zoo say a worker was killed after falling from a tree during a rescue drill.
News outlets report the state Department of Labor says the zoo worker was an arborist participating in the aerial drill on Thursday when the worker fell approximately 30 feet from the tree. No further details were available.
Zoo officials say no animals were involved in the incident, and the zoo closed to visitors three hours early on Thursday afternoon.
"The entire Zoo community is deeply saddened by this loss and our thoughts and sympathies are with the family of our team member," the zoo said in a post to social media.