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Fire Crews Free Horse That Fell Through Pedestrian Bridge at Patuxent River State Park

A three-hour, multiagency extrication highlights the resource intensity of large-animal rescues with the horse now under veterinary care.

Overview

  • A horse partially fell through a pedestrian foot bridge at Patuxent River State Park near Brookeville and became trapped on the structure.
  • Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services jointly responded to the scene and carried out the extraction.
  • The coordinated rescue lasted about three hours as crews worked to stabilize and free the animal from the bridge.
  • After the horse was removed from the bridge, emergency crews turned the animal over to a veterinarian for immediate care and assessment.
  • The incident illustrates how public trails and park infrastructure can require time-consuming, specialized efforts and cross-jurisdictional coordination when large animals become trapped.