Brewster Firefighters Rescue Man Stuck In Old Mine Near Main Street

BREWSTER, NY — Members of the Brewster Fire Department rescued a Somers man who had gotten himself trapped in one of Putnam County's old mines.

The video they produced is worth watching here.

Firefighters were dispatched to the hill behind the Brewster Train Station Sunday night.

The man and four friends had gone exploring into the sealed-off mines and he became trapped on a lower ledge. His friends tried for hours to get him out and eventually realized they couldn't, fire department officials said on Facebook.

Firefighters under the direction of Capt. Christopher Frank traversed the steep, dark terrain to reach the hole that the explorers climbed into. Firefighters Pete Segreti and Keith Rusinko were lowered into the mine to begin the extrication process. A high-angle rope rescue operation was set up to remove the man, who was uninjured. Shortly after midnight he was removed from the mine and reunited with his friends.

"The top of Marvin Mountain was lit up like a beacon," journalist Jack Alcott said on Facebook.

Department officials told The Journal News there are several old, closed-up mines around the village.

"Brewster firefighters did an excellent job under dangerous conditions, including dodging bats at first and then pouring rain," fire officials said.