Teen Rescued After Falling Down Ravine In Elgin

ELGIN, IL -- An 18-year-old woman was injured when she fell into a ravine while trying to jump into a swimming hole in Elgin Sunday afternoon, fire officials said Monday. Emergency personnel were called to the area along Tyler Creek and behind 1360 Madeline Lane in Elgin at 1:37 p.m. The teen slipped and fell 15 feet, landing on a concrete wall, Rich Carter, Elgin Fire Department battalion chief, told Patch in an e-mail response.

That wall supports train tracks, which are elevated above the creek and swimming hole below, Carter said.

"According to witnesses, the girl was running down a steep embankment that is above a swimming hole and is part of Tyler Creek. She slipped before reaching the point where she was supposed to jump and fell over the edge," Carter said.

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As part of their rescue efforts, fire crews climbed 60 feet down the embankment and began to treat the teen's injuries at the scene. Other crew members created a rope system and used pulleys and a basket to pull her up the slope, according to Carter.

The 18-year-old woman was taken to Provena St. Joseph Hospital for treatment of a leg injury, Carter said.

The swimming hole is located in a heavily-wooded area in Elgin with two sets of train tracks elevated above Tyler Creek below. Fire crews used all-terrain vehicles to carry supplies to the area and then had to walk down the railroad tracks 1/4-mile to get to the victim, Carter said.

Union Pacific crews also had to halt train traffic during the rescue.