RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Technical rescue crews rescued an approximately 70-year-old man after he fell into the interior of a barge at the Port of Palm Beach, according to Riviera Beach Fire Rescue (RBFR).
Firefighters responded to the port for a reported technical rescue involving a fall victim who required extrication.
When crews arrived, they found the man had fallen about 4 to 5 feet from a ladder into the interior of the barge, where he came to rest approximately 30 feet below deck level, RBFR said.
Because of the confined space, the depth of the incident and the complexity of safely removing the patient, RBFR requested assistance from the West Palm Beach Fire Rescue Technical Rescue Team.
Rescuers established a technical rescue operation, accessed the patient and secured him before using rope rescue and confined-space techniques to safely extricate him from the barge.
