4 Rescued After Boat Goes Over Dam On Fox River In McHenry

By Sam Borcia, Lake & McHenry County Scanner

Four people were rescued and transported to hospitals after a boat they were in went over the dam on the Fox River in McHenry Monday evening, officials said.

The McHenry Township Fire Protection District and Nunda Rural Fire Protection District responded around 9:35 p.m. Monday to the Stratton Lock and Dam, 2910 State Park Road in McHenry, for a water rescue call.

Fire department radio traffic indicated that dispatchers received an Apple Watch emergency notification.

A bystander also called 911 to report they heard a boat go over the dam.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police were also called to the scene.

Fire crews located the boat, which was occupied by multiple people. The occupants were reportedly standing in knee-deep water awaiting rescue.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director of Communications Jayette Bolinski said there were four people on the boat that were assisted back to land.

Three men, ages ranging from 24 to 46, and a woman, age 24, were involved. Two were Chicago residents, a third was from Du Quoin and the fourth’s

Paramedics transported the occupants to different hospitals for evaluation, Bolinski said.

At least one person was reported to have a possible broken arm, according to fire department radio traffic.

The boat remained below the dam in about a foot of water and BruceSki’s Marine Construction and Recovery was called to remove it Tuesday morning.

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing, Bolinski said.

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