Heavy police and fire presence along the Petitcodiac River this morning, after reports of a man floating on an ice chunk down the Petitcodiac River.
Dieppe Fire District Chief Marc Cormier says they received reports at around 7:30am, and all three fire departments, Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview responded, along with Codiac RCMP.
“We attempted to deploy the boats, but the riverbank was too high. There was about a 40 foot drop from the riverbank to the river, so firefighters placed themselves along the riverbank with ropes and throw bags,” Cormier says.
Firefighters are fully trained to assist in water rescues, but Cormier says this was a bit of an unusual circumstance.
“The man appeared to be standing on the ice chunk, but was also sitting at times. He was obviously frozen, and there were concerns that he might fall off.” Cormier told us.
Moncton Fire platoon Chief Brian Gaudet say, “When I attempted to make contact with him, he didn’t appear to respond to my calls out on the ice. But we continued to try very hard to find a spot along the river where we could attempt to pull the man off of the ice.”
Gaudet added, “Eventually, once the man reached the Dieppe area, he jumpd off of the ice onto the bank of the river, and he crawled up onto the marshy area. From there, firefighters escorted him to shore.”
The Coast Guard was called in and arrived on scene at around the same time as the man made his way onto dry land.
Emergency responders are unsure of exactly where the man started the journey.
“What we do know, is that ice was moving quickly down the river. It passed the causeway, and the Gunningsville Bridge, and made its ways towards Chateau Moncton and then finally to the Fox Creek area,” Cormier told us.
There’s no word on the man’s condition.
(photo submitted from a 91.9 The Bend listener)
