CHURCH HILL, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) – Emergency responders from several agencies worked together Friday afternoon to rescue an elderly person who became stranded approximately 15 feet underground in Hawkins County.
According to the Church Hill Rescue Squad, crews were dispatched around 3:45 p.m. Friday to a reported confined-space rescue in the Church Hill area.
When first responders arrived, they found an elderly patient trapped inside a wet well, suspended on a ladder roughly 15 feet below ground level. Officials said the individual was unable to climb back to the surface.
Because of the complexity and potential dangers associated with confined-space rescues, multiple agencies were called to the scene to assist with a coordinated technical rescue operation.
Rescue crews worked together to safely extricate the patient from the underground space without further incident.
The Church Hill Rescue Squad said the successful rescue was the result of extensive training and cooperation among public safety agencies.
“Incidents like these demonstrate the importance of training, teamwork, and strong partnerships between our public safety agencies,” the agency said in a social media post.
Several organizations assisted in the operation, including:
- Church Hill Rescue Squad
- Church Hill Fire Department
- Hawkins County Rescue Squad
- Multi-Jurisdictional Rope Team
- Hawkins County EMS
- Hawkins County Emergency Management Agency
- Mount Carmel Fire Department
Officials have not released additional details regarding the patient’s condition or the circumstances that led to the rescue.
