DURBAN - A 31-YEAR-OLD man was rescued after he fell approximately 30m into a stormwater shaft between Old Main Road and the northbound lane of the R102 in Verulam outside Durban yesterday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said they were alerted to the incident just before 10am on Saturday morning.
Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said two men arrived at the Rusa headquarters requesting assistance for their friend.
“They explained that they were carrying a case of beers, which they purchased from the Verulam CBD and were on their way home to Coniston,” he said.
Balram said the intoxicated 31-year-old man decided to break a branch from a tree to feed it through the beer crate in order to make it more comfortable for them to carry.
He said Rusa officers and medics were accompanied by the two men to the stormwater shaft.
“Officers communicated with the man who complained of pain (in) his legs,”said Balram.
Balram said the eThekwini Fire and Rescue Services arrived shortly thereafter and a rope with a harness was lowered into the shaft.
He said Rusa officers and firemen pulled the man out of the shaft and he was taken to a nearby hospital by Rusa medics for further treatment.
“The man sustained minor injuries and was transported to hospital by ambulance,”said Balram.
THE MERCURY