By Roxana Navarro
May 28, 2024, 02:25 AM EDT
A man was in a serious accident after falling from a 400-foot-deep bridge in Washington state over Memorial Day weekend. Emergency teams arrived at the scene to rescue him and after several efforts they managed to bring him to the surface with only minor injuries.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office said the 19-year-old was walking on an old trail beneath the High Steel Bridge, one of the tallest railroad bridges in the United States, when he fell.
They ask people to stay away from those trails
“We have told people to stay off these trails because they are dangerous, but people don’t see the warning signs or ignore them,” said Tim Ripp, a patrol corporal with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office who He was part of the rescue team, CBS News reported.
Authorities have not identified the boy, who only suffered scratches on both arms, but he was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
“Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our Special Operations Rescue Team, he was rescued and suffered only minimal injuries,” the sheriff shared.
The rescue lasted two hours
According to state statistics, between five and seven people fall from the bridge each year and most die. Even though the area is equipped with scattered warning signs, including one describing how steep, slippery and unsafe the bridge is.
During the rescue mission, which lasted about two hours, deputies and firefighters used a rope and harness to scale the bridge and rescue the teen, the county sheriff’s office said.
“The West Mason Fire – WA team, The Mighty Mason 6 and Mason County Sheriff’s Office worked diligently to ensure a safe and successful operation. “We are grateful for your quick and professional response,” the sheriff’s office wrote on social media.
They hooked the boy to a harness
West Mason Fire Chief Matthew Wlander told KING News that they hooked the young man into a harness so they could carefully lift him up. He also confirmed that he was walking through the landslide when he fell and ended up in the river.
The authorities consider that the victim, whose identity was not revealed, “was very lucky”, since it was a dangerous and very long fall, to survive and also end up with minor injuries.
City and county officials ask people to be more careful with all signs posted in these areas, in addition to having greater respect for nature, to avoid problems that could turn into a tragedy.
“Remember, DO NOT go down next to the bridge,” Chief Matthew Welander warned.
With information from CBS News
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