Simultaneous oil spill near library required cleaning up

Camden firefighters, EMTs attempt to save Megunticook Mountain hiker

Mon, 08/22/2016 - 9:15am

    CAMDEN — Just after noon on Saturday, Aug. 20, a man collapsed while hiking the Tablelands Trail on Megunticook Mountain in Camden Hills State Park. A separate group of hikers, who happened to be doctors and nurses, came upon the 70-year-old, just as he fell to the trail, and began to administer care.

    Camden firefighters and a crew from North East Mobile Health Services responded, as well, driving equipment up the road toward the Mt. Battie Summit, and parking at the trailhead where the Tablelands path intersects and leads along a ridge toward Ocean Lookout, on the top of Megunticook.

    Seven firefighters and two EMTs walked up the trail 1.4 miles to the scene where the man had collapsed to help transport him to the ambulance. The man, however, had died, despite a 30-minute attempt by the doctors and nurses to revive him with CPR.

    The rescue crews, with the four hikers and two park employees, carried the man carefully for two hours along the trail in a Stokes basket, taking turns, and at some arduous points along the steep trail, lined up to pass the basket down the hill.

    The Aug. 20 rescue attempt marks the fourth response this year by the Camden Fire Department to State Park mountain emergencies. Last year, the firefighters responded to six incidents on the mountains, and eight in 2014.

    Meanwhile, in downtown Camden by the Camden Public Library, a small fuel spill had been discovered, requiring a simultaneous response by the Rockport Fire Department.

    The source of that spill remains undetermined, said Fire Chief Chris Farley. Camden Exxon owner and firefighter Steve Laite placed absorbent pads on the fuel to soak it up for removal.

    On Friday, Aug. 19, firefighters had tended to another similar spill on Bay View Street where a fuel can had dumped its contents into the road from the back of a pickup.

    Both spills were approximately one gallon each, Farley said.


     

    Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657