An 11-year-old boy in New Hampshire got trapped between two boulders near his school for nine hours before being rescued by firefighters Monday.
The unnamed child got stuck behind the Wediko School in Windsor, with one of the boulders as large as a house, city officials said on Facebook.
“On Sunday evening, while under supervision, a student exploring a rocky area on campus slipped between two boulders when sticks and debris gave way beneath them,” the school said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.
Attempts by school employees to save the boy failed, and firefighters were called to the scene at around 6 p.m. Sunday. The boy was stuck in the crevasse and largely unable to move, although he stayed conscious throughout the ordeal.
“Due to the restricted opening, the victim had limited room to move his arms or legs,” Capt. Adam Iverson with the Manchester Fire Department said, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.
Ropes and lubricants, including dish soap, were used over the nine hours to free the boy. Ultimately, crews went underneath the rock to complete the rescue.
“We basically had to tunnel underneath the boulder to get access to the child’s feet, which allowed us something to push on from the bottom,” Manchester Fire Battalion Chief Jon Fosher said, according to AP.
After going to the hospital for evaluation, the boy went home to his family.
“We are deeply grateful to our staff for their swift, professional response and to the local emergency teams for bringing the student to safety,” the Wediko School said, according to Manchester ABC affiliate WMUR-TV.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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