A man was rescued from the Tuscarawas River early Sunday morning after being discovered by a couple walking the Towpath Trail, according to the Canal Fulton–Lawrence Township Fire Department.
The department was dispatched at 7:27 a.m. to the area of Coach House Floral, 146 W. Market St., after the couple reported the man had been in the water overnight.
Firefighters and EMS crews arrived on the scene within three minutes and located the man just five minutes later. Using rope rescue equipment and sending a firefighter into the river, crews safely removed the man and began providing medical care.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital at 8:07 a.m. Authorities said with overnight temperatures dipping into the 50s, the prolonged exposure posed a serious risk of hypothermia.
Officials credited the swift actions of the couple who called 911, dispatchers, police, and first responders for the successful rescue.
“The quick recognition by the callers, RED Center dispatchers, Canal Fulton Police, combined with the training, preparedness, and decisive actions of our firefighters, was critical in bringing this incident to a successful outcome,” the department said in a statement.
The man’s condition was not immediately released.
