April 15, 2025
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Transcript: Inside the rescue efforts: Utica Fire Chief on Starved Rock family incident

By John Sahly
Firefighters lift a paitent out of French Canyon who fell 20-30 feet on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at Starved Rock State Park. A Mutal Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) prompted rope and rescuers as far as Marseilles and Princeton.

Firefighters lift a patient out of French Canyon who fell 20-30 feet on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at Starved Rock State Park. A Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) prompted rope and rescuers as far as Marseilles and Princeton. (Scott Anderson)

Read the transcript from our latest podcast: Illinois Valley Editor Derek Barichello interviews Utica Fire Chief Ben Brown talking about his team’s effort in the rescue of a mother, father and son from an April 1 fall at Starved Rock State Park.

Emergency crews rescued a family who fell on April 1 at French Canyon in Starved Rock State Park.

About 5:57 p.m. that day, emergency responders were called to Starved Rock after a 7-year-old child with special needs accidentally fell almost 30 feet onto the sandstone floor of the French Canyon. The child’s 37-year-old mother, from Tinley Park, tried to rescue him but fell as well, suffering serious injuries in the process.

You can listen the podcast here, download it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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