KY Crews Make 'Miracle' Rescue of Woman in Mudslide

June 18, 2019

Firefighters from several departments pulled out the woman, 90, from "under layers that included a floor and brick wall" after her Stanton house was knocked off its foundation.

By Rebekah Alvey

Source Lexington Herald-Leader

Firefighters from several departments rescued a 90-year-old Stanton, KY, woman Monday after a mudslide knocked her house off its foundation.

A woman was found alive Monday, hours after a mudslide wrecked a two-story home.

During a storm Sunday night, a large mudslide hit a Stanton home, trapping a woman inside. The house was located on North Bend Road.

Kevin Babcock with Powell County emergency management said officials arrived at the house at 7 a.m. Monday and began to assess damage and a gas leak.

The mudslide had “knocked the first floor from its foundations and caused the second floor to collapse on top of it,” according to The Associated Press. Eddie Barnes, Stanton assistant fire chief, said the woman was found “under layers that included a floor and brick wall.”

While responding emergency workers initially believed no one was inside the house, they heard the trapped woman after getting in the house, Babcock said.

Firefighters from surrounding areas, including Fayette County and Winchester, helped remove the woman, who is about 90 years old. Babcock said.

Emergency workers had to enter the house from the roof, and managed to remove the woman about four hours after the call was made, Babcock said. The woman was responsive when she was rescued from the house.

“It’s a pure miracle,” Babcock said.

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