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Firefighters rescue two teenagers stuck in St. Paul cave

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2024 1:48 am
by skittles
https://www.twincities.com/2017/11/18/f ... k-in-cave/

11/18/2017 Firefighters rescue two teenagers stuck in St. Paul cave

It took the St. Paul Fire Department two and a half hours to extricate two teen boys from a deep cave on the city’s West Side early Saturday.

The teens had climbed down a shaft to reach the cave about 100 feet below but could not climb back out.

Firefighters responded about 1:30 a.m. to a 911 call from one of the teen’s friends who had not followed them down the shaft. He led rescue workers to the tube-like opening where his friends had gone in, explaining that it “was too narrow for a grown man to get down.”

Rescue Squad 3, an elite team that specializes in cave rescue, was called to help. The squad entered the cave through the same shaft and pulled the teens out uninjured.

Entering the bluff caves is dangerous and illegal, acting Chief Matthew Simpson said in a press release. “It is extremely fortunate in this case that the friend, who chose not to descend in to the cave with the others, made the correct decision to call 911 for help,” he said.

The department plans to work with the city’s Parks and Rec officials to secure the access point to prevent any future accidents.