3-Year-Old Rescued From Quicksand-Like Manure Pit

Officials say emergency crews rescued a 3-year-old boy who fell into a manure pit on a farm near Philadelphia. Emergency responders were called to the Honey Brook Township farm about 6:30pm Saturday after the child fell into the six- to 10-foot pit inside a large barn. Fire crews tried to get in to help but quickly became stuck, reports the AP, and as they developed a plan they tried to calm the frightened child. "His whole body was sitting on the manure, so he was completely above the manure, but if he had moved around a lot, it would've been a different story," Honey Brook Fire County Deputy Chief Jake Bailey tells WPVI. "The manure is kind of like a quicksand, the more you move, the more you sink."

Two rescuers with rope harnesses worked their way inside, and after building a plywood platform, were able to move through the pit to the victim. Officials say the boy was alert when he was removed on a stretcher and taken to Ephrata Community Hospital with minor injuries. Authorities say decontaminating rescue personnel and equipment took considerable time.

(More manure stories.)