Man Suffers Head Injury In 12-Foot Fall Into Norwalk River: Fire Officials

NORWALK, CT — A man suffered head injuries after falling down a 12-foot embankment into the Norwalk River in front of the 601 Merritt 7 building on Main Avenue in Norwalk Monday afternoon, according to fire officials.

Although the river is not deep at that point, the water temperature is about 40 degrees and the current is fast-moving. Firefighters had to rescue the man and pull him to land.

He had been walking his dog along a trail and slipped, according to fire officials.

"Upon arrival, a male was observed sitting on the side of the riverbank being assisted to by a civilian," wrote fire officials in a statement. Fire department personnel had cold water survivor suits on and made their way across the river to attend to the male. At this time, it was determined that the male had received a head injury due to the twelve foot fall down the river bank. The male patient was loaded into a stokes basket; a carrying devise used to remove people from confined spaces or slopes."

Emergency personnel pulled the patient up the embankment where he was attended to by Norwalk Hospital Paramedics. The man's dog was also safely pulled from the river.

The man's medical condition was not immediately known, but he was speaking with emergency personnel at the scene, accoring to officials.

Photo credit: Norwalk Fire Department