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No delay in firefighters' response to bridge rescue, say police

The response from Sudbury firefighters to help to help a young woman hanging from the Bridge of Nations on Paris Street June 10 was almost immediate, according to the Greater Sudbury Police Service. At around 2 a.m.
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At around 2 a.m. Tuesday police rescued a young woman from the Paris Street bridge. Photo by Jonathan Migneault.

The response from Sudbury firefighters to help to help a young woman hanging from the Bridge of Nations on Paris Street June 10 was almost immediate, according to the Greater Sudbury Police Service.

At around 2 a.m. that day, police responded to a young woman – around 17 or 18 years old – who was hanging from the edge of the bridge.

At NorthernLife.ca, many readers questioned the earlier statements by police that they had to wait for the fire department in order to rescue the woman. As police have now clarified, they were not waiting for Greater Sudbury Fire Services to arrive, but to set up equipment needed to safely rescue the woman.

Officers held on to the woman for 15 to 25 minutes while firefighters set up the equipment needed to save the woman's life.

“As soon as we called them, they were there almost immediately,” said Greater Sudbury Police Staff Sgt. Rick Waugh.

The firefighters at the scene first attempted to reach the woman from the bottom of the bridge with ladders.

After a few minutes, they decided it was better to approach her from above.


Sudbury Fire Services Deputy Chief Graham Campbell said police officers probably could have pulled the young woman over the railings, but were wise to wait for firefighters to install a harness.

A female firefighter was carried over the edge of the bridge and attached the safety harness to the woman.

Police officers and firefighters were then able to pull her over the railing without incident.

Police recognized the actions of the female firefighter in an internal memo.


The young woman was later brought to Health Sciences North where she was treated for shock.


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Jonathan Migneault

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