City | 12:23 am | October 7, 2011 | By Sharon Yin

Yalie rescued from face of East Rock

A Yale student became stuck climbing the face of East Rock.
A Yale student became stuck climbing the face of East Rock. Photo by Wikimedia Commons.

A Yale student faces charges after the New Haven fire department had to rescue her from the face of East Rock on Thursday, the New Haven Independent reported.

The rescue left the Yalie safe and sound, but three firefighters were sent to the hospital. One was struck by a falling rock, and another landed in surgery after he lost his footing and fell. The third firefighter was examined as a precaution after being suspended from a rope for about 45 minutes.

Firefighters arrived on the scene soon after the 3:45 p.m. call to the fire department and used a rope rescue to help the student down by 5 p.m.

“She was not far from falling. She was tired, and she was at the point she was about to let go,” NHFD Chief Michael Grant told the Independent.

The woman and a male companion, also a Yale student, had attempted to free climb the rock from the bottom, but the woman got stuck in an outcropping about 100 feet from the base and used her cell phone to call for help.

The pair was charged with reckless endangerment and with violating a local ordinance forbidding climbing the rock, Assistant Chief Patrick Egan said. The students are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 19.

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