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Teen Rescued After 50-Foot Fall Into Queensboro Bridge Shaft

Police say the climb appears tied to a social-media challenge documented in posts later removed.

Overview

  • Firefighters found the 16-year-old about 50 feet down in a lower-level shaft near the Queens side after a 911 call just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 16.
  • FDNY used ropes, pulleys and confined-space techniques to hoist him out, a response that Deputy Chief Nicholas Corrado said required about 10 pieces of equipment and 75 personnel.
  • Emergency medical workers took the teen to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.
  • NYPD said he had been climbing the bridge as part of an apparent social-media trend.
  • Video posted to Reddit showed a sneaker beside a ladder with calls from inside the shaft, while Instagram accounts linked to the group showed panicked flight and other risky stunts before many posts were purged.