Man falls 50 feet down Iron County mine shaft, suffering ‘substantial’ head trauma
Nov 8, 2024, 11:45 AM | Updated: 2:12 pm
HAMLIN VALLEY, Iron County — A man sustained “substantial head trauma” after falling 50 feet into an abandoned mine shaft in a remote area of Hamlin Valley on Tuesday, according to Iron County Search and Rescue.
At approximately 4 p.m., rescue teams were called out to the mine shaft after the man, 49, fell. It appeared the edge of the shaft gave way, and the man was wearing a harness, helmet and had a rope, but free fell to the bottom. The cause of his fall is still under investigation, the Iron County Sheriff’s Office said.
A Life Flight helicopter was dispatched, plus a deputy with the Iron County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington County Southwest Regional Confined Space Rescue.
Life Flight was the first to arrive and soon after the Iron County deputy. The deputy is heard in body camera footage saying the man was talking back to first responders, but they could not see him down the shaft. He said the victim appeared to be responsive, but incoherent.
Life Flight left the scene to gather members from the iron County ropes team and their gear, which “dramatically reduced the response time in rescuing the victim,” according to search and rescue. The time it took to reach the victim though was still hours due to the remote location and condition of the mine.
By the time the ropes team arrived, snow was moving in and temperatures were below freezing, forcing the helicopter to leave again due to bad flight conditions, Iron County Search and Rescue said.
Once the ropes team descended down the shaft, which they did immediately upon arrival, it was clear the man had suffered a significant head wound and was in an “altered state.” Another person descended to help place the patient in a litter and hoist him up.
Once he was out of the mine, the sheriff’s office said the victim’s condition worsened, and immediate medical attention was required. Responders took him in the deputy’s patrol truck to a Gold Cross ambulance which then took him to a hospital in St. George.
There was no further update on the man’s condition as of Friday and likewise, his identity was not released.
The sheriff’s office issued a reminder to the community of the risks associated with abandoned mines and “the importance of adhering to safety precautions.”
Contributing: Lauren Steinbrecher, KSL TV
Editor’s Note: Search and rescue teams initially thought the victim was 52, and this article was originally published stating as such. It has since been corrected to
