A group of tubers that found themselves in a dangerous situation on the Spoon River last Thursday are lucky to be alive according to a local public safety official.
Maquon Fire Chief Patrick Hohenbery says emergency personnel scavenged the banks of the river searching for four individuals after responding to a call that some members of the group had second degree burns.
When authorities arrived near Knox Road 1550 E. and Knox Road 750 N. around 6 p.m. the situation wasn’t good.
“They were sitting on this little sand bar on the edge of the river under a shade tree,” Hohenbery says. “They started with four rafts and were down to one and there was four people. One person, she was really, really, really, really dehydrated and sunburned that she was dry-heaving.”
Hohenbery says the group tried to float from the Wolf Covered Bridge in Gilson to London Mills. A member of that group, Alice Heiman, says they called 911 when one member became cold and started losing blood flow. Hohenbery says they were fortunate.
“It could have been worse,” Hohenbery warns. “It could have been nighttime or it could have been a daytime where we didn’t have any help.”
GHAS, Maquon police and ambulance and fire services from London Mills all helped respond.
Hohenbery says he spoke with the victims yesterday. The two that were hospitalized have been released and are recovering.
Updated 06/14/16 at 4:35 p.m. to include remarks from Alice Heiman.
