Firefighters are urging people to take care around waterways in Manchester city centre after a 51-year-old woman was rescued from near-death after falling into a canal.
Greater Manchester Fire’s specialist Water Incident Unit from Eccles was called to Great Ancoats Street after the woman was seen floating in the water.
She was pulled to safety before crews from Manchester Central and Philips Park carried out emergency CPR.
Luckily she was able to be revived at the canalside, albeit suffering from cold water shock. She was taken to hospital for further treatment.
Station Manager Danny Marshall, said: “The lady was blue and unresponsive when the crew pulled her out of the water.
“As soon as they began efforts to revive her she started showing signs of life and hopefully the incident will have a good outcome.
“The crew did a really fantastic job and they’ve given her the best chance of survival they could have.
“This type of incident has proved all too common in the centre of Manchester. Canals are dangerous and many people who fall in suffer cold water shock and never get out again.
“Please take care and avoid towpaths if you’ve been out drinking. It might seem like a good idea to take a shortcut, but if you’re not careful the only shortcut you’ll be taking is one to an early death.”
Main image: Canal at Great Ancoats Street – Jan Cheblik
