Published: 11/3/2021 5:28:07 PM
BERNARDSTON — Emergency crews rescued a 38-year-old utility worker who fell down a cliffside embankment of the Fall River behind Hillside Pizza on Wednesday.
The call came in at around 1:30 p.m., and the scene was fully cleared by 3 p.m. The unidentified utility worker was reportedly standing on the river side of the guardrail on River Street while conducting work on a utility pole when he slipped and fell off a nearly vertical drop to the riverbank below. Other utility workers called for help.
“There’s a steep embankment that goes right down to the Fall River right there. It’s about 40 to 50 feet straight down,” Bernardston Police Sgt. John Richardson said.
According to Assistant Fire Chief Lloyd Grover, first responders arrived to see the worker lying on the riverbank with half of his body submerged in the cold water. He was conscious and alert, but first responders instructed him not to move to avoid aggravating a possible spinal or neck injury.
While the Western Massachusetts Regional Technical Rescue Team was en route, two members of the Bernardston Fire Department rappelled down to the victim to stabilize him. The rescue team arrived and crews secured the patient, lifting him up the embankment with a pulley system.
“It was quite the set-up,” Grover said.
He said it took about 40 minutes to complete the rescue.
A LifeFlight medical helicopter was called and transported the patient for treatment. Grover said the man had unspecified injuries.
Mutual aid responders included the Northfield, Greenfield, Turners Falls, Longmeadow and Agawam fire departments, Northfield EMS and the state Department of Transportation.
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.