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Firefighters rescue man trapped on rock face over Brady Street

Fire service not sure how the man became trapped under several large rocks or how long he was calling for help before someone heard him
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Greater Sudbury firefighters prepare to descend a rock face on Brady Street during the late evening of May 24 to trap a man stranded partway down the cliff. (Imge: Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell)

A man is thanking his lucky stars someone heard his cries for help after he became trapped on a rock face above Brady Street this past weekend and had to be rescued late Sunday night by Greater Sudbury Fire Services.

Officials aren’t sure how long the man was trapped, but he was injured and dehydrated by the time firefighters got to him around 11 p.m. on May 24.

The rock face in question overlooking Brady Street is next to the Cherry Garden Apartments, which sits behind a plaza on Paris Street that includes the Weaver Simmons building.

Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell said Greater Sudbury Fire Services isn’t sure how the man wound up where he wound up, but it appears he slid down a steep embankment and became stuck.

Oshell said there is a lot of loose rock near the top and it’s possible the man slipped because part of his torso and his legs were buried under several large rocks, or boulders, pinning him down.

“We’re not sure what he was doing,” Oshell said. “He might have been up there over a day.”

The man, who the deputy chief estimated to be in his early to mid 30s, was calling for help, but no one heard him until late Sunday evening, when the 911 call came in.

Oshell said firefighters were able to use an old microwave tower at the top of the cliff to help them rappel down with a rescue basket. They were able to free the man from under the rocks, get him into the basket and hoist him back up to the top — and into a waiting ambulance.

Paramdedics also roped down to the stranded man to tend to his injuries before moving him. He was then transported to Health Sciences North by ambulance. His condition is unknown.

Oshell said it appeared the man might have some broken bones and could have been suffering from dehydration.

“He was in a lot of pain, but he was thankful to be found.” Oshell said.

The incident capped off a very busy weekend for Greater Sudbury Fire Services, in which they battled bush fires in Levack and Whitefish in sweltering 30 C heat.


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