The teenager and his friends reportedly used household rope to rappel down the mineshaft
A teenager was rescued from a California mineshaft after attempting to explore the cave with friends using household rope, officials said.
According to the Placer County Fire Department, emergency crews, assisted by the Auburn City Fire Department, responded on Feb. 10 to a medical rescue for a 16-year-old boy trapped in a nearly 50-foot-deep vertical mineshaft.
Upon arrival, crews were guided into the cave by the victim’s friends and learned that the group had ventured into the shaft after hiking approximately 180 feet through a horizontal tunnel in the mountainside.
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Using household ropes, the three teenagers rappelled approximately 40–50 feet down a vertical mineshaft. However, while climbing back up, the rope snapped, causing one of them to fall about 30 feet to the bottom.
Officials said the victim attempted to climb out but eventually exhausted his strength. He managed to position himself on a ledge while waiting for rescuers to arrive.
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When rescuers arrived, they assembled a lightweight yet intricate rope system and implemented air quality monitoring in the shaft.
A primary rescuer then rappelled down to the victim, secured him with a harness, and safely lifted him out of the mineshaft.
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Once rescued, the victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
“The Placer County Fire Department Rescue Team is one of the busiest in the north state and successfully carried out this technical rescue in a highly confined and challenging environment, 180 feet inside the mountain,” the department stated in a press release.
“This incident underscores the unique natural hazards that exist within Placer County’s beautiful yet rugged landscape. Our commitment to public safety in these diverse situations, utilizing highly trained special operations teams, remains a top priority in our service to the community.”
