Man in critical condition after being rescued from crevice near University of Oregon

People reports that on Sunday, Jan. 18, the Eugene Springfield Fire Department said in a Facebook post that crews rescued an unresponsive man who was pinned roughly 10 to 15 feet down a crevice alongside the Willamette River diversion near the University of Oregon.

Bystanders walking in the area called 911 after seeing the person, and the incident was listed as a "possible cardiac arrest," the department said. Arriving crews found the man pinned between a concrete diversion wall and a large quarry stone; several crews totaling 20 personnel used specialty equipment in the rescue. The ESF did not identify the man but noted he was a male in his mid-30s; he was transported in critical condition with a body temperature of 76 degrees. The department thanked the bystanders, saying, "If not for these attentive bystanders, the victim would not have survived much longer." In pictures shared by officials, multiple firefighters were seen working together to pull the man out.

Officials said this was not the only incident along the Willamette River that day: The Register-Guard reported a body was pulled from the river in freezing conditions and pronounced dead, and the Lane County Medical Examiner is still investigating. It is unclear whether officials believe the incidents are connected.

Key Topics

World, Eugene Springfield Fire, Willamette River, Eugene, Lane County