September 22nd, 2011
11:23 AM ET

One killed, one injured as zip line collapses in Hawaii

One man was killed and another seriously injured as they tested a zip line on Hawaii's Big Island on Wednesday.

The man who was killed, a 36-year-old from Maui, was about halfway across the 2,300-foot line above a stream bed when a tower holding up one end of line collapsed. He plunged 200 feet into the rocky stream bed and died at the scene. The injured worker, a 35-year-old from Ohio, fell about 30 feet from the collapsing tower and was in critical condition at Hilo Medical Center, according to a statement from the Hawaii Police Department.

The two men were working on a new course at the zip line facility just outside Hilo when the accident occurred, their employer, Experiential Resources Inc. of Maui, said in a statement distributed by Hawaii247.com. On its website, the company bills itself as "the global leader in the designing and building of adventure courses, canopy tours and zip line courses."

The company that owns the zip line, Lava Hotline, told CNN affiliate KHON-TV that all lines at the facility would be closed pending an investigation.

“The course is being shut down for the next two weeks while we do an inspection and make sure that everything is totally safe,” company owner Gary Marrow was quoted as saying.  “It’s been a really difficult day.”

“We will conduct a careful, thorough review to determine all of the facts in this case. We need to know exactly what happened and why," Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi said in a statement on Hawaii247.com.

Audrey Hidano, deputy director of the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, told CNN affiliate HawaiiNewsNow that zip line operators face little state regulation.

"It's not like a construction contractor. There's no licensing. If anything they register it as a business, pay your general excise taxes, pay your unemployment insurance and all that, but I don't believe there is a license involved in this," she said.

Any government regulation of zip lines would require legislative approval, she said.

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Filed under: Hawaii • Travel
soundoff (152 Responses)
  1. Sam

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

    September 23, 2011 at 3:32 pm | Report abuse |
  2. CheezeMo

    Zip line 2 hell

    September 23, 2011 at 4:23 pm | Report abuse |
  3. CheezeMo

    Someone dying is what makes it so funny.

    September 23, 2011 at 5:41 pm | Report abuse |
    • neo

      Remarkably sad that the world has to tolerate you consuming air...

      September 23, 2011 at 9:47 pm | Report abuse |
  4. CheezeMo

    Debbie said putz, is this Debbie Reynolds again? You know my restraing order against you is still valid.

    September 23, 2011 at 5:46 pm | Report abuse |
  5. suE

    Thank god you aren't in hawaii. I would have freaked reading this. Ps ur never zip lining in hawaii. Sorry

    September 23, 2011 at 5:57 pm | Report abuse |
    • CheezeMo

      Zip-a-de-do-da Zip-pa-de-day my-o-my da crazy things u say.

      September 23, 2011 at 7:33 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Geoboy

    Gee ... the companies
    press release really shows a lot of sympathy ...

    All they seem to care about is their image and th ... $$$

    September 23, 2011 at 6:04 pm | Report abuse |
  7. templeriv

    Reading through all these comments makes my heart sad realising how alone we all are in this world. People laughing making jokes while families are shattered hearts are broken dreams are lost. I pray you all remember today and get up from ur computers and look around @ your family and wait for the days others will laugh at u when ur wife,sons,daughters leave this world and their passing is staind by the laughter of idiots.

    September 23, 2011 at 8:40 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Marty

    It never occurred to them to send a few sacks of spuds down the line? Avoidable tragedy.

    September 23, 2011 at 10:38 pm | Report abuse |
  9. scott p

    Cheeze mo your a fricken idiot! !

    September 23, 2011 at 10:48 pm | Report abuse |
    • CheezeMo

      May I purchase U a ride on a zip line...2 hell?

      September 23, 2011 at 11:09 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Antonio Velasquez Jr.

    Peaple everzhere should learn not to trust anybody from ohio,nor anywhere near ohio and the west bank.

    September 23, 2011 at 10:54 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Antonio Velasquez Jr.

    Cursed is the man who trust in man.The equivalent of Cursed is the "god"who trust in god. CELLESTIAL PROTECTION COMES FROM THE MAKER AND PROPRIETOR OF THE FIRMAMENT, THE INFINATE VAST EXPANCE AND ALL LIFE FORM... ONLY!

    September 23, 2011 at 11:06 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Stinkin latino

    Every body is a comedian...disrespectful clowns...

    September 23, 2011 at 11:28 pm | Report abuse |
  13. crazy marine

    u guys its not frickin funny that someone died,and its not nice to call people fat all its doing is hurting that person that youre calling that to so if you dont have any respect whatsoever for thi than i sugjest that you frickin erase youre account and never ever make on again

    September 23, 2011 at 11:31 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Antonio Velasquez Jr.

    If any body has any comments against the TRUTH that eye speak,it is better for you if you held your breath forever.BLESSED ARE MY FRIENDS.

    September 23, 2011 at 11:34 pm | Report abuse |
    • CheezeMo

      If they were blessed they would be spared ur friendship

      September 23, 2011 at 11:42 pm | Report abuse |
  15. crazy marine

    i dont know about you but im bein serious

    September 23, 2011 at 11:36 pm | Report abuse |
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