Bangor firefighters and police officers rescued a person from the Penobscot River on Monday afternoon.
The person was walking down the railroad tracks behind the Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center on State Street when they went down an embankment and walked onto the river, Bangor Assistant Fire Chief Chad Bean said.
The person then broke through the ice about 15 feet away from the riverbank. Officers with rescue throwbags then threw rope to the person, who pulled themself out, Bean said.
After getting out of the water, firefighters used a ladder on the embankment for the person to walk up before they were taken to the hospital, Bean said.
Bean said this outcome was a success given the river’s quick flow and the possibility of being pulled under the ice.
“They got very, very lucky for sure,” Bean said.