Elderly Farmer Rescued After Hours In Fremont Well

FREMONT, CA — A 90-year-old farmer was rescued Saturday from a well on property in Fremont that his family has owned since the 1930s. He fell into the 26-foot-deep, hand-dug well on Saturday when he went into the pump house to turn on the pump to water his vegetables "and the floor let go," he told KPIX 5. "No warning. Just poof, gone."

The farmer declined to give his name or show his face. He was embarrassed by the whole situation. When he didn't return from watering the vegetables, his daughter went to look for him and heard his cries for help. The elderly farmer kept his wits about him — he put his feet flat against one wall of the brick-reinforced well and his back against the other. By pressing down on his feet, he kept his head above water to prevent drowning.

The Fremont Fire Department arrived, dismantled the old pump house and rescued the farmer. He was in the well for about two hours but survived his ordeal just fine. He got eight stitches on his head to close a cut. Read more on KPIX 5.

-File Image via Fremont Fire Department