A Canadian firefighter was seriously injured when he fell 15 to 20 feet while trying to rescue a group of stranded hikers.
Two Hamilton, Ontario, fire crews had responded to a call just after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday concerning a hiker who hurt her ankle in a gorge at Albion Falls, The Hamilton Spectator reports. When the 20 firefighters reached the scene, two hikers who had tried to help the hurt woman also became stuck in a prohibited area at the bottom of the falls.
During the rescue, a 39-year-old firefighter lost his footing and fell to the ground. The other rescuers at the scene climbed down to reach their fallen colleague and put him in a bucket in order to pull him back up.
"Very quickly the other firefighters involved called for assistance, additional resources were sent from Hamilton Fire as well as Hamilton Paramedics and Hamilton Police Service to the scene," Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe said during a press conference.
The firefighter was taken to a local hospital and was in stable but serious condition as of Thursday morning. He suffered fractures, as well as head and facial injuries, according to The Spectator.
"Thank you for all the kind thought regarding our member who was seriously Injured last evening," an online post by the Hamilton Professional Fire Fighters Association, Local 288, stated. "He remains in hospital undergoing further testing at this time."
The hiker who injured her ankle also was taken to the hospital, and Canada's Ministry of Labour is investigating the incident, The Spectator reports.
