Woman Rescued After Falling 25 Feet and Getting Trapped Inside Old Septic Tank in California
The woman was so deep in the hole, she was “not visible” from the surface, officials said on social media
San Bernardino County Fire/X
Site in Fontana Calif., where a woman fell into a sinkhole on ThursdayA woman was rescued in California on Thursday after she fell into an old septic tank outside her home.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department said it responded to the scene on Cherry Avenue in Fontana after learning that an adult woman had fallen about 25 feet into the septic tank, which they initially reported was a sinkhole, according to the Los Angeles Times and CW affiliate KTLA.
SBCFD spokesperson Eric Sherwin told KTLA a 911 caller found the victim, described as a 40-year-old woman, in the "abandoned or previous used septic tank" around 9:45 a.m. local time.
The fire agency told the Los Angeles Times that the incident occurred after the woman walked over the top of the tank, which gave way, as did the ground itself.
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The woman’s children discovered their mom was missing and called their father, who rushed home from work, according to ABC affiliate KABC-TV.
The victim was awake and talking when crews arrived at the scene, KABC-TV and KTTV reported.
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A rescuer was eventually lowered into the hole and was able to retrieve the victim, according to the SBCFD.
Photos and video of the rescue operations, shared by the SBCFD, show crews setting up and conducting the mission alongside the county’s Urban Search and Rescue team.
San Bernardino County Fire/X
Rescuers work to saved a woman who fell into a 25-foot sinkhole in Fontana, Calif.The victim was so deep in the hole, she was “not visible” from the surface, the fire department added in its threat of posts on X.
The woman was transported to a local hospital after she was saved, according to the SBCFD.
Sherwin said the woman sustained injuries to her legs, according to KTLA. Her official condition is unknown.
The SBCFD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
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