Crews Rescue Man From Catawba County Well

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C.,None — Dozens of firefighters and rescue workers scrambled to reach a man who was trapped in a well Thursday morning.

SLIDESHOW: Crews Pull Man To Safety From Well

RAW VIDEO: Crews Work To Rescue Man Trapped In Well

A Catawba County homeowner was having an old well covered when a family member fell 40 feet. Billy Townsend hit water before plunging another 15 feet down.

Townsend was unable to grab onto the muddy wall of the old well, so someone threw him a drop cord to hang on to until help arrived.

Rescuers rigged a pulley system with rope, and then one of them went down into the well to check Townsend for injuries and help him into a harness so that he could be pulled to safety.

"This is more than a one-team effort here," rescue worker Tony Lutz said. "We probably have 40, 45 people on the scene to help one person."

Townsend only suffered scratches and bruises from the fall. He described what was going through his mind during the frightening ordeal.

"Get me out," he said. "Thank the Lord that I was able to swim back up to get my feet propped up against the bank. It's real slick in there."

WSOC