SOMERSET, MA -- A 66-year-oldman was seriously injured Friday when he fell more than 30 feet onto rocks in the Taunton River while fishing from the Brightman Street Bridge.
Miguel Gonzalez of Highland Street, Taunton, was rushed to Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River, after the incident about 5:30 p.m. He later was transferred to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence where his status was not immediately available.
Because rescue personnel could not reach the victim from shore, the Fire Department launched its Marine 5 rescue boat from Waterfront Park in the town’s Village section and sped to the scene to aid the man from the water.
Fire Lt. David Messier said the initial call received shortly after 5:30 p.m. indicated that the victim was on rocks below the northwest side of the bridge. But when a rescue crew arrived, they found the unconscious man was on rocks, but in the river.
"He was in the water ... We launched the boat and the medics tended to him in the water," Messier said.
Four rescue personnel were in the "5- to 6-feet" deep water, tending to the victim, while a fifth fire department member had to remain in the boat, he said.
"They were able to stabilize him, put him on a backboard and put a neck collar on," Messier reported. "He was breathing, but he was unconscious."
Rescue personnel reported that Gonzalez suffered a possible head fracture and other fractures.
Police Sgt. Armand Cabral said the victim fell more than 30 feet to the rocks in the water below when he evidently slipped on a large concrete block stairway, leading down to the river.
The victim apparently was
handline fishing on the northwest side of the bridge when he hooked an approximately 10-pound
bluefish.
"He was having trouble landing the fish, so he started to walk down the stones to get the fish when he lost his footing and fell," Messier said.
"It was a very difficult place" to perform a rescue, Messier noted. "They did an excellent job."
He said the victim was transported in the rescue boat to the Remington Avenue boat ramp in Fall River where he was placed in a Fall River Fire Department ambulance and taken to Charlton.
"The guys did a great job," said Somerset Fire Chief Stephen Rivard. "Our guys were in the water to perform this rescue ... under pretty adverse conditions tonight with the rain and the rocks being pretty slippery."
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Damn BLOOFish!!
^%$^%
Hopefully this guy fully recovers from the fall. It's a pretty good drop...this guy's lucky to be alive. God help him -
Another reason for Clamma to hate em'...
...it finally happened, there are no more secret spots
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