November 15 - San Bernardino County Firefighters responded to a residence at about 8:50 a.m. on the 11800 block of Hardy Ave., in Adelanto, where an elderly woman reportedly had fallen into a hole. Upon their arrival, they discovered the woman had fallen approximately 9 feet down into an abandoned empty septic pit. She was conscious and standing at the bottom of the pit.

San Bernardino County Fire’s Urban Search & Rescue team responded and conducted a rescue operation. They immediately provided supplemental ventilation to the pit and started monitoring for oxygen levels and hazardous gases. Once the opening was secure, rescue personnel were lowered into the 3’x 9’ pit and were able to place a harness around the female and hoist her out of the pit. Once inside, it took rescue crews about 15 minutes to extricate the victim. The entire rescue operation took less than 1 ½ hours.

The victim sustained moderate injuries and was transported by American Medical Response to St. Mary’s Hospital in Apple Valley for treatment.

It was later learned that the female was watering her lawn when the ground beneath her collapsed, sending her into the abandoned septic pit. Her sister heard her cry for help and immediately ran to the fire station two blocks away for assistance.

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