LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — UPDATE: The Forest City superintendent confirms that the teen who fell and hit his head at a swimming hole in Lackawanna County has died.
The district will have counselors available on Friday.
Original Story:
It took rescuers time to get to him, which is a problem people should be aware of when going off the beaten path like here on the D&H Trail in Simpson.
Emergency crews responded to a swimming hole off the trails near Simpson for a water rescue involving a teenage boy from Forest City.
Grattan-Singer Hose Company was one of the departments called to the scene Wednesday afternoon.
"He was underwater for three or four minutes. I guess he was blue when they brought him out and immediately started CPR before we were on our way up to him," said Chief Joseph Unis Sr. of Grattan-Singer Hose Company.
Chief Joseph Unis says, the warmer temperatures are bringing people out to cool off, but that makes it more likely for incidents like this to occur.
"Especially as cold as the water is now, you have to get them outta there quick. There was a current in there so it took them a little bit."
Newswatch 16 hiked back along the trails to get an idea of what rescue crews had to navigate.
Newswatch 16 didn't go all the way to swimming hole number ten where the teen was injured, but along the way, we saw steep inclines and places where it would be hard for emergency crews to get through.
People are warned to stay away from swimming in holes like this along the way because it's difficult for emergency responders to get to.
"You could never stop anybody from doing it so always make sure you have a friend with you and then if something does happen, someone can call 911," said Capt. Mike Skasko.
With more and more people out, Chief Unis expects this won't be the last time they have to report to a rescue like this.
"They just opened up the Rails to Trails to ATVs so I expect a spike of this now. We're usually quiet up this way. This is the second one in two weeks."
There's no word on the teen's name, but he is a student in the Forest City School District. The school is providing counselors to anyone who needs help dealing with this incident.
