Minn. Teen Walks Away From 80-Foot Fall
June 25--A teen had minor injuries after he fell about 80 feet off a St. Paul Mississippi River bluff Tuesday, the fire department said.
Firefighters were called to the bluffs at the end of Summit Avenue about 8:45 p.m. on a report someone trapped on the bluff, said Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard. A teenager was with friends when he slipped over the edge, he said.
The teen had walked about halfway to the top when emergency personnel found him and he wanted to continue, Zaccard said. Firefighters and police officers helped him walk the rest of the way, he said.
Paramedics transported the teen to the hospital. "Falling that far off the bluff, he's lucky that he's not more seriously injured," Zaccard said.
In recent years, St. Paul firefighters have had to rescue people from the bluffs at least once or twice a year, including using a special-rescue team with a helicopter, Zaccard said.
"It's an attractive place to gather and explore, but it's also very treacherous, especially when it's dark out or getting dark like this was (in Tuesday's case)," Zaccard said.
Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262. Follow her at twitter.com/MaraGottfried.
Copyright 2014 - Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
