Water Rescue Crews Save Dog Trapped Under Bridge in Albion Borough Park

Albion Borough, PA – This afternoon at around 4:40 PM, rescue personnel from Cranesville Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched for a reported dog stuck under a bridge at the Albion Borough Park. This incident followed multiple rounds of heavy rainfall throughout the day creating swift water conditions and a very high creek. Chief 601 went enroute to the scene and was advised that a Rottweiler that fell into the creek and was stuck under the most western bridge in the park. Following, Chief 601 requested Lake City Fire Company to standby their station while crews arrived to get a better understanding of the scope of the situation. Ambulance 617 and Engine 604 joined Chief 601 at the scene.

At 5 minutes after the initial dispatch, Chief 601 was on scene and reported the water moving swiftly, with a dog on the underside of the bridge with audible barks present and requested the Lake City Water Rescue Team to respond to the scene. Lake City was enroute to the scene within 10 minutes after being initially requested to standby by Chief 601. Lake City arrived on scene at 5:08 PM and crews immediately sprang into action. Crews deployed an RDC as a platform in case they needed a water-based platform during the operations. Additional personnel went right to the scene of the bridge and began surveying the situation. Crews could continue to hear the dog within the underside of the bridge within the compartment.

Before crews could gain access to the dog, the bridge acted as a strainer and collected debris from the raging creek. Large logs and large piles of debris had to be removed from the underside of the bridge (which was hollow) to allow crews to gain access to openings under the bridge to gain access to the dog. During this operation, crews had to access the underneath of the bridge from both sides to assist with the removal of the debris.

Once crews removed debris from underneath the bridge, crews reevaluated the ongoing situation and devised a plan to rescue the dog. While the dog was not in the best position, practically swimming at that point to stay above water, the crews quickly went underneath the bridge and attached a collar to the dog. A water rescue technician then rescued the dog, pulling the dog from underneath of the bridge. At the same time, the dog owners and bystanders pulled on the rope and brought the dog over to the edge of the creek where the dog was placed onto dry ground. It was at that point that Chief 601 announced that it was a successful recovery as the dog shook off excess water.

At that point, one person carried the dog to the back of a truck and wrapped the dog in blankets. The dog was then taken to a veterinary to be evaluated. No injuries were reported on scene and crews about an hour and ten minutes after the initial dispatch.