Man Falls Into 100-Foot-Deep Well In Lake Elsinore

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A man who fell into an abandoned well on the north end of Lake Elsinore Thursday was extricated with minor injuries.

The confined space emergency was reported about noon near the intersection of Lake and Mountain streets, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said the victim, whose identity was not released, tumbled into the empty 100-foot deep underground well in view of witnesses, who called 911.

Five engine crews and two truck companies were sent to the location and initiated an inaccessible rescue that involved earth-moving equipment, wench lines and a pulley system, officials said.

Shortly before 3 p.m., the victim was lifted to safety by a firefighter who was lowered and raised inside the well via a rappelling device, according to reports from the scene.

The victim was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for treatment and further evaluation.

Sheriff's deputies closed Lake Street, between Alberhill Ranch Road and Mountain Street, to allow crews to maneuver without disrupting traffic. The roadway was reopened by 3:30 p.m.

There was no word on what the victim was doing around the well when he fell into it.

—City News Service