MAILTON UDI [R,~ 'a ar'~~ i g WeekeI A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 143 No. 104 Friday, March 14, 200 28 Pages $ 1.0 (GST mncludcd) vMan escapes serious harm after falling in well By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion Trevor Johnson is lucky to be alive after droppmng about 30 feet itofrigid waters when the well cover he was standing on cmum- bled beneath bis feet Saturday aftemnoon. Altbougis ies at borne witb severely spraincd anies and doesn't expecs to return to work for anotiser week or so, Mr. Jobnson said tbe ouscorne could bave been rnucb, rnucb worse. "lt was very unlucky tbat it bappened, but lucky that it was rne and not a kid," be said. Mr. Jobnson, a Guelpis resident, was witb bis girlfriend babysitsissg ber four-year-old nepbew and an unrclated infant at a No. 10 Sideroad borne, on tbe border of Milton and Halton Hilis. "We were playing in thc snow and I was running away. I saw tbe well cover, and stepped up onto it to tic rny sisocs. The next tbing I knew, 1 was in the water," Mr. Jobnson said. Victim doesn't remember mnch He said bc doesn't rerncrnber rnucb ftorn Uic actual fail, wbicb bappened as about 2 p.rn., but rerncrbcrs bis girlfricnd, Rebecca Lopers, screamning bis narne and looking down into Uic wdll. 11: was likc a badl drean. My nind was- n't functioning right because its sucb a shock to your bodY. 1 looked up and saw a littie isole abovc rne," Wi. Johnson said. Ms Lopers called 911 and sisortly aftcr, Police arrived, NU. Jobnson said. RoUi Uic Milton and Halton Hila tfire departinents also responded, alUiough only Milton per- sonnel - Uic tecisnical rope rescuc tcamn - took part in Uic rescue. AUlin all,Uihere wcre about 15 Milton fire Personnel withisonc purmper truck and Uiree support units on site, plus an ambulance, said Tirn Roberts, training co-ordinator with Uic Milton Fire Departrnent. He said Uiey couldn't deternone isow deep Uic water was, but Mn. Jobnson wouldn't bave bcen able to stand up in it. The fire departrnens gave Mr. Jobnson a belmet to wear, to prosecs bis bead frorn falling pieces of Uic wdll cover. "Every tiinc UieY (firefighters) novcd, I was pelted wiUi cernent,' Mr. Joisnson said. [ -~ ~ His primary concem being bypothermia, MU. Jobnson positioned bis body so bis feet were against one side of tbe well and bis back was wedged againsstbe other aide, liftng bis entire body above the water. Fire Personnel lowered an extension lad- der and a barness down the well and Mr. Johnson donned tbe hamess. He clirnbed up the ladder himself but was attacbed to a baul systern so if be feil, ire personnel could bave continued to pull bim up. Mr. Jobnson said tbat wbile he was climbing up, be knew bis ankies were sore, but. didn't tbink tbey were seriously sprained. 'Its kind of funny, but down tisere I thougbt tisas Id corne out, go in tise sisower, bave some tes and bce okay. But the minute I was on solid ground, I loat control of rny body and I started sisaking." A minor case of isypothermia was to blame. He was warrned up and taken to thc Georgetown bospisal. He was released later tisat daY, sufferissg sprained anides and minor cuts and bruises. "Botb of my anides were swollcn like grapefruits.,, The entire rescue process took juat over balf-an-isour. StaYing above tbe water was a good move on Mr. Joisnson's part, Mr. Roberts said. 9*aeeWELLaon page 2 Comment .......6 M&E......... 12-13 Datlns ..15-16 Sports ......17-20 Classified ... .22-25 *ftide mu& i14. CM" utlk,* 0kiwmt .La-z4w 0'Noms Dur ouum 0s unA Suw MUmNr *LW , iw.3av.Ml'lm.u.c *iele a aesmi For ail of your Emissions Testing & Car Repair Needs It's nover too early to have your vehicle inspected for spring. 0! PPrii St. Pattlck'S OW From th Staff ai Bobrs Auto Serviceà&J i Trevor Johnson recovera at his Guelph home after survlving a 30-foot fail down a well an No. 10 Slderoad Saturday. Inset, a new weIl cover la in place after the aid one crumbled when Mr. Johnson atepped an t. Photos by GRAHAM PAINE