Boy falls 15 metres from cliff in Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver
Firefighters rappel to victim while Coast Guard transports him to paramedics with serious injuries
West Vancouver firefighters are preaching caution to users of the popular Lighthouse Park after a seven-year-old boy plunged 15 metres off a rocky embankment on Sunday.
"We're not sure what happened, how he lost his footing, but he did manage to fall approximately 50 feet down a rock embankment," said assistant chief Jeff Bush.
Firefighters rappelled down to the boy and immobilized him using a spine board while calling for the Canadian Coast Guard to transport him to paramedics in one of their vessels.
"I can confirm that the child was in serious condition, with serious injuries," said Bush.
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Bush says West Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services responds to several falls in the park every year.
The park is popular among rock climbers, but also a draw for tourists and families looking for a simple walk down to the picturesque water front.
Still, Bush says despite the accessibility, the park has its perils.
"There's multiple hazards there with the rock face and so we're asking people to please, please be careful," he said. "If people use extreme caution and care they should have no problems."