The Ulster County incident happened in the town of Rosendale, off Hickory Bush Road, at around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29.
A man who was working for a tree company clearing the area along the Central Hudson high voltage power lines was struck by a falling limb and swept into the cavern, Rosendale Police said.
Two of his co-workers repelled down behind the man and located him roughly 100 feet inside the natural cavern. They provided initial first-aid until multiple agencies, including the Bloomington and Kingston fire departments, arrived on scene.
After nearly 90 minutes, a technical rescue team was able to lift the man and the two rescuers from the cavern. He was taken to Mid-Hudson Regional hospital for injuries sustained in the fall, police said.
“The Town of Rosendale Police Department extends its sincere gratitude to the Bloomington Fire Department, the City of Kingston Fire Department—particularly the Rope Rescue Team—Ulster County Emergency Management, the St. Remy Fire Department, Empress Ambulance, and the Marbletown First Aid Unit for their outstanding teamwork and dedication to ensuring a safe and successful rescue,” the agency said on Facebook.
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