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Man suffering from ‘severe hypothermia’ after fall into Surrey creek

Incident happened in the 13600-block of 94A Avenue, near Surrey Memorial Hospital
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Surrey Fire Service, BC Ambulance Service and Surrey RCMP were on scene in the 13600-block of 94A Avenue in Whalley Wednesday after a man reportedly fell into a creek and had to be rescued. A Black Press Media freelancer said the man was in “grave condition” after being rescued. (Photo: Shane MacKichan)

A man is reportedly in “grave condition” after falling into a creek in Whalley.

A Black Press Media freelancer on scene said the incident happened in the 13600-block of 94A Avenue, behind a Dairy Queen and near Surrey Memorial Hospital. Crews were on scene before 10 a.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 6).

The freelancer said the Surrey Fire Service’s technical rescue team was setting up for the rescue when he reportedly “went into cardiac arrest.”

Surrey RCMP Corporal Joanie Sidhu said police responded, along with the fire department and BC Ambulance Service, but directed calls to the fire department and the ambulance service due to the rescue.

Steve Serbic, assistant chief of operations with Surrey Fire Service, said when crews arrived, the man was “down about 20 feet into the creek.”

“When the crews got there, he was suffering from severe hypothermia.”

Asked if he knew how the man ended up in the creek, Serbic said, “We don’t know any of the details.”

He added the department didn’t have “any information on who he is or how he got there.”

He said two technical rescue teams were called, which included 19 personnel and eight trucks.

“The crews spent about an hour extracting the patient,” he noted.

His “injuries were critical” before he was transported to hospital, Serbic said.

Serbic said the Surrey Fire Service has two technical rescue teams, with one in Fraser Heights and one in Newton, and the firefighters train “all the time.”

He added it was a “standard rescue,” which included the use of a tower truck and ladders to climb down to rescue the man.”

The rescue team, Serbic said, “used a lot of equipment” to get the man out.



lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com

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Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's national team, after my journalism career took me across B.C. since I was 19 years old.
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