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NBC 7 San Diego
Rescue crews lower a firefighter into a well in Portrero, Calif., to rescue a man who had fallen inside.
SAN DIEGO -- Fire crews rushed to the Potrero community in San Diego’s Mountain Empire area Sunday afternoon to rescue a man who had fallen down a 35-foot well.
According to Cal Fire Capt. Mike Mohler, the victim fell down the 35-foot hole in the 1300 block of Potrero Circle at around 4:15 p.m. local time (7:15 p.m. ET). The fall knocked the man unconscious, Mohler said.
Rescue crews set up a tripod above the well and lowered a firefighter into the hole to rescue the 42-year-old man. He was pulled from the well at around 6:18 p.m. (9:18 p.m. ET), Mohler said.
An air ambulance transported the victim to a local trauma center. Mohler said the man's exact condition was not known, but he was likely in serious or moderate condition because of the length of the fall.
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At one point during the "confined space" rescue mission, Cal Fire crews had to drop a pump down into the well, fearing ground water would rise up and possibly drown the victim.
"That's always a concern in this type of rescue mission," Mohler said. "They had a lot of moisture down at the bottom of the well."
Mohler said the well had been boarded over and abandoned. The board snapped under the man's weight and he fell.
The victim was identified by his wife as Jerry Fowler of Potrero.
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Where's Lassie when you need her?
Well,..............he was rescued.
Lassie was there, barking her head off. Unfortunately, Timmy was at the Social Security office, and unable to interpret. Lassie was taken to the pound and euthanized after several "barking dog" complaints.
This is ironic. Watched part of a Lassie a day or two ago and the channel always has trivia at commercial time. This episode says it is an urban legend about the well and Timmy never was rescued from one! Funny episode tho, a guy on a track driven tractor was pulling a disk helter skelter across a pasture and Lassie "saved" a litter of new born pups from being run over by jumping in front of the tractor. It was going about two miles and hour and she landed twenty feet from it! Then she had her litter. Brought tears to my eyes. GMUS
If there was a man in the well, then it wasn't abandoned was it, duh.
Is this how the illegals enter America now, through wells, they play victims and get free heath services ....
Nothing but praise to the firefighters. Well done.
yup, praise someone for doing their job....good grief
I would like to thank my kid for cutting my grass, and thank the librarian for checking out my book, I would also like to thank the writers of stories so I can read them....
@Roger--- You missed it. I'll get better.
@roger--- Are you a retired oldman. You sound like it and stocking the grocery shelfs was enough. Sure glad your kid cut the grass. Have a great life if you have one.
We need to get to the bottom of this. ASHLEY JUDD (DEM-KY) 2014!
We need to get Ashley Judd in the bottom of a well.
I knew this wasn't in Florida ! The man was rescued! Florida they are soooooo STUPID they run and keep every one back then fill the hole. Duh whuts up ?????
I know first hand how it feels to fall in a very deep hole like that because when I was three (3) years old I fell in a manhole eight (8) feet deep and it was horrible. The walls were so rough it peeled what I had on right off along with my skin.
I had that dream over and over again for many many years until one day it just stopped but I will never ever forget that day as long as I live. I am now 60 something and I can still remember what it felt like falling and had no control over what was happening to me.
I am so glad they were able to get this man out of this horrible hole and I hope he will fully recover as I am certain he will.
"They had a lot of moisture down at the bottom of the well." :-\
Guess we will have to ban wells now.
Why wasn't this well filled in? It was boarded!!
A better question would be... why was he walking on the obviously old boards?
I'm thinking of the Little Rascals episode when Weazer fell down the well. All humor aside ....thank god this guy was OK.
thank god he was ok- a silent prayer for anyone falling into any kind of thing.