Water rescue in Fayette County sends at least 1 person to hospital; investigation underway

An investigation is underway after a water rescue took place in Fayette County on Sunday afternoon, sending at least one person to the hospital. 

Dispatchers say the water rescue happened near Ramcat Road in Henry Clay Township, Fayette County. They say possibly up to seven people were considered patients.

First responders pointed KDKA-TV crews toward what's called the Ramcat Rapids, near the location where the rescue took place. The rapids appeared to have been too much for the rafters on Sunday.

First responders were called there just after 1 p.m. Sunday to reports of an overturned raft, dispatchers said, leaving multiple people in the water.

One person had to be flown to a hospital, dispatchers said, while three or four were treated on scene.

The rescue area stretched across a significant stretch of the river, with individuals from the overturned raft scattered.

Markleysburg-Henry Clay Fire Chief Curtis Hager told KDKA-TV that, despite being in charge of the scene, it was hard to provide full facts of what happened because communication between first responders was limited due to poor cellphone and radio coverage, posing a challenge for firefighters.

He said he'd directly helped three patients, including two children. Some had swallowed a lot of water.

The water level was higher than normal, he said.

As for why the raft overturned, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is leading the investigation, dispatch said.

KDKA-TV observed a nearby sign warning rafters that just downstream from the raft put-in at the Ramcat Rapids, there are "several large holes in the river that will flip a raft and hold a swimmer." The signs say to avoid those holes and run the rapid as far right as possible

KDKA-TV also reached out to DCNR for a full accounting of what happened and is waiting for a response.

The Great Allegheny Passage was shut down for several hours, but has since reopened.