June 16--Two lovebirds climbed a tree in Bayside Marketplace Sunday morning. The 20-somethings scaled the large banyan tree to check out carvings left behind, or maybe to leave their own.
The couple was chatting and laughing until the woman, 23, realized she was unable to climb down. Bayside Marketplace staff dialed 911 after hearing cries for help about 9:30 a.m.
Miami Fire Rescue arrived to find the woman more than 25 feet up the tree with her boyfriend trying to calm her down. A crowd soon gathered below.
The woman was disoriented and slipped in and out of consciousness, according to Miami Fire Rescue.
Fire rescue, in need of more assistance, alerted the Technical Rescue Team, which arrived with their ropes and harnesses. The Hazardous Materials Team showed up with a motorized ladder.
More than 15 people worked to bring the woman back to earth, said Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Ignatius E. Carroll
Once lowered, passers-by clapped and cheered while paramedics took the woman to a hospital for evaluation.
"You get cats stuck in trees, and rarely do we get a kid stuck in a tree," Carroll said. "This is very unusual for an adult to be stuck in a tree."
The woman was not seriously injured, Carroll said.
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