Connecticut Firefighters Rescue Man Injured in 60 Foot Plunge

HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) -- A 25-year-old Ridgefield man was badly injured in a fall down the face of a cliff at Sleeping Giant State Park Sunday.

Matthew Nilson was injured after his rappelling equipment failed and he plummeted 60 feet, fire officials said.

It took about three hours for the Hamden Fire Departments Mountain Rescue Team to secure Nilson and bring him to a waiting ambulance.

Police and fire personnel said Nilson had a possible broken hip, leg and arm, as well as lacerations to his head, although none of his injuries were life-threatening.

Battalion Chief William Coppola said Nilson's mistake was to anchor himself to an old iron rod near the cliff in the area of the tower inside the park.

''As soon as he stepped off the side, the rod just broke and he crashed to the bottom,'' Coppola said. ''He got pretty banged up.''