Fire Rescue News - Rio Grande fire company rescues man from mud, but must leave boots behind

By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, March 5, 2010 | 0 comments

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — Pumps didn’t work. Excavation didn’t work. In a bizarre rescue case Friday afternoon in Rio Grande, the final solution turned out to be pulling a man right out of his boots.

That’s how firefighters were able to get John Oliva out of the mudhole he was stuck in....Continue Reading

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“He was up to his chest in muck; water and mud,” said Rio Grande Assistant Fire Chief Jim Belles.

Pumping water out did not work as the high groundwater table just filled the quagmire up again. Digging out the mud around the township public works employee, who was working on draining a pipe when he got stuck, also was not successful.

“We tried to pull him out but the suction was too great. We had to pull him out of his waders. The waders are still in the mud,” Belles said.

Anybody who has ever walked in a marshy area knows how a foot can get stuck, even if the mud is only ankle deep. Somehow, Oliva got in much deeper than that.

The fire company was called out at 2:17 p.m. to Second Avenue.  Belles said after about a half-hour in the muddy water, Oliva was cold. He was taken to the hospital suffering from hypothermia but is expected to be fine.

“This is my 34th year and I’ve never had a trench rescue. This was a first for me,” Belles said.

Contact Richard Degener:   609-463-6711    RDegener@pressofac.com

Posted in BREAKING | CAPE MAY on Friday, March 5, 2010 8:08 pm