Man falls from Camas waterfall, rescued by raft, ropes

Firefighters used a raft and ropes system to rescue a man who suffered possibly serious injuries after falling from a waterfall near Lacamas Park in Camas.

A man, whose name was not released but described as in his 30s, fell from the falls in the area known as the Potholes at about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Camas-Washougal Fire Department Battalion Chief Greg Payne said.

Friends found him unconscious with his head underwater, Payne said, but were able to help get him to a rock shelf underneath the falls.

Firefighters from Camas-Washougal and Vancouver Fire Department responded, as well as members from the Clark County regional technical rescue team, Payne said.

A firefighter swam to the man, who was surrounded by pools of water that were about 40 feet wide and 15 feet deep, Payne said.

Other firefighters then accessed the man by an inflatable raft, transporting him to the bank. The man was then loaded into a stokes basket and crews manning a ropes system pulled him up to a waiting ambulance, Payne said. The rescue took three hours.

He was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center with possibly serious injuries.