Crime & Safety
Firefighters Rescue Rafters On Puyallup River
Swift water rescue crews responded to a group of rafters in distress Wednesday afternoon.
SUMNER, WA - A group of river rafters was rescued Wednesday afternoon while floating down the Puyallup River in Sumner, according to fire officials.
Before 5 p.m., rescue crews responded to the Puyallup River near the Sumner water treatment plant on a report that multiple people were in distress. Some of the people included children, according to firefighters. The water treatment plant is located near the confluence of the White and Puyallup rivers.
The rafters were reportedly tied together, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Everyone involved made it out of the river OK.
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Rivers in Washington are often running high and cold in spring and early summer. In addition, logs and rocks that have piled up over the winter can trap rafters and boaters, according to the state Department of Health.
Responding to a report of a Swift Water Rescue. 13100 63rd St E. Report of people on an innertube that is losing air. 2 people reported in water, with small children on the innertube. Now reported they may be down stream. E113 at scene
— East Pierce Fire (@EastPierceFire) June 20, 2018
File photo by Neal McNamara/Patch
Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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