Man rescued after tumble over railing near OHSU

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man was rescued after falling down a steep cliff in Southwest Portland Thursday night, authorities said.

According to Portland Fire & Rescue, crews responded to a person who had fallen over a railing along Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard, just south of Oregon Health and Science University.

The victim was on the phone with the dispatchers attempting to help in his rescue, but information was limited, only that he was “on a steep slope below Southwest Terwilliger and above Southwest Barbur Boulevard,” officials said.

Crews were sent to positions both above and below the victim and eventually, he said he could see the emergency lights below on Southwest Barbur causing the crews to start working their way uphill.

At the same time, the crews above the victim eventually heard him making noise and began to communicate with him leading to a more focused rescue.

Eventually, the victim was found about 70 feet down the hill, with a 20-foot steep drop-off near the top, officials said.

Using ropes, rescuers worked their way downhill to reach the man and they found he had both hip and leg injuries which required them to use a low-angle rope system to safely get him out.

A chainsaw was used to clear the path down to the victim and with the work of 14 firefighters, eight carrying the victim’s rescue basket and six pulling ropes at the top, the man was eventually rescued and taken to the very nearby hospital for his injuries.