A Brooklyn man was rescued after being trapped in a crevice in Merlin’s Cave in Canaan, New York, for six hours Sunday night, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Officials said the incident occurred just after 9 p.m. Forest Ranger Lt. John Gullen responded to the scene. He said the man had slipped into a tight crevice about 400 feet into the cave, becoming wedged by his rib cage and pelvis. Gullen said the man was not injured but was becoming hypothermic. Rangers and first responders used a hammer drill to remove some of the rock to free him. “At that point, I’m with the patient for about an hour and a half, keeping him calm, and he did a phenomenal job staying calm,” Gullen said. “I don’t know very many people who could stay calm. He was stuck for a total of six hours, unable to move in basically any direction. For most people, that’s like their worst nightmare.” The man was freed after about six hours and was able to exit the cave on his own.
A Brooklyn man was rescued after being trapped in a crevice in Merlin’s Cave in Canaan, New York, for six hours Sunday night, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
Officials said the incident occurred just after 9 p.m.
Forest Ranger Lt. John Gullen responded to the scene. He said the man had slipped into a tight crevice about 400 feet into the cave, becoming wedged by his rib cage and pelvis.
Gullen said the man was not injured but was becoming hypothermic. Rangers and first responders used a hammer drill to remove some of the rock to free him.
“At that point I’m with the patient for about an hour and a half, keeping him calm, and he did a phenomenal job staying calm,” Gullen said. “I don’t know very many people who could stay calm. He was stuck for a total of six hours, unable to move in basically in any direction. For most people, that’s like their worst nightmare,” he said.
The man was freed after about six hours and was able to exit the cave on his own.