BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Kern County Fire Department rescued three people from a vertical mineshaft in a remote desert location in Randsburg Thursday night.
Firefighters were dispatched via helicopter to Randsburg for a report of a person who had fallen into a vertical mineshaft just before 11 p.m. While the group of friends were spending time outdoors, one fell into an unseen mineshaft, prompting two people from the group to rescue their friend unsuccessfully and got stuck themselves.
KCFD Urban Search and Rescue 47 helicopter made a pit-stop in Keene to pick up specially trained staff to aid in the tight-spaced rescue mission.
At the scene, KCFD lifted the two individuals who tried to rescue their friend to the surface. The two people were uninjured and denied medical treatment.
Firefighters then worked on rescuing the original fall victim by using a complex system of ropes, two firefighters were lowered 120 feet to the patient. Mercy Air 14 was called in to fly the patient to a nearby hospital.
Officials prepared and lifted the patient and haul teams above worked at the direction of the rescuers in the mineshaft by pulling ropes and lifting all to the surface.
The patient sustained life-threatening injuries but received immediate medical treatment at the surface. The patient was transported by Mercy Air 14 to a local hospital.
Their current condition is unknown.
