An Orangeburg woman was trapped in a 16-foot well for at least five hours on Wednesday and was quickly rescued when emergency crews were called to the scene, Orangeburg County Fire District Director Teddy Wolfe said.
The incident occurred near the Pine Hill area of Orangeburg County.
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The woman’s husband found her and called 911 at 3:30 p.m., Wolfe said.
Within four minutes, a first responder arrived at the scene.
“Arriving units confirmed the situation and rescue crews promptly conducted atmospheric monitoring while ventilating the well with fresh air,” according to a Facebook post made by the OCFD.
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Orangeburg County Office of Emergency Services Assistant Director Chris Murdaugh was carefully lowered into the well harnessed to a rope rigged to metal poles which were fashioned into a tripod.
It took 25 minutes to rescue the woman after Murdaugh was lowered into the well, Wolfe said.
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Once the woman was out of the well, she was decontaminated and transferred to Orangeburg County EMS for further treatment.
After the decontamination process, crews wrapped the woman in blankets and moved her to a nearby ambulance. She was taken to MUSC Health-Orangeburg to get checked out.
A medical helicopter was requested in case it was needed.
Wolfe said based on tools crews saw near the well, the woman may have been trimming branches when she fell, but he didn’t know for certain.
Two snakes were near the edge of the well opening under a concrete slab, Wolfe said. Crews had to remove the slab to reach the woman. Crews also removed the snakes.
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Wolfe said the smooth rescue was made possible by teamwork with the following agencies: Meducare Air, North Fire Department, Orangeburg County EMS, Orangeburg County Office of Emergency Services, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, Pine Hill Fire Department and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
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