Stranded tourists rescued by CFA and SES crews

Photo: Wandin CFA Facebook page

 

A group of tourists that found themselves stuck on the wrong side of a deconstructed bridge in East Warburton were helped to safety by CFA and SES crews on Thursday 29 December.

 

Six CFA vehicles from Monbulk, Wandin, Wesburn and Warburton brigades responded to the scene at around 6.20pm.

Elevated around eight metres above the Yarra River, crews were confronted with a group of around 20 people who needed to safely cross the bridge to the other side.

Incident Controller and Warburton 1^st Lieutenant Ronald McIntosh said the bridge is currently being deconstructed and will eventually be replaced.

“The boards were not fixed to the bridge and it was unsafe to cross,” he said.

“Monbulk and Wandin CFA rescue crews provided eight transport harnesses, which allowed us to tether them to the existing guide ropes on the construction site and have them travel across slowly one at a time.

“This incident was definitely a first for us.”

The group was slowly brought back over the bridge one at a time.

By 8.15pm, the entire group had been safely led across the bridge and the scene was declared safe.

 

Submitted by	CFA Media