A group of firefighters dramatically rescued a 2,000 pound horse trapped up to its neck in an old cistern in a Maryland suburb on Sunday.
The nearly three-hour long rescue – portions of which were captured on videos and shared on social media – involved using earthmoving equipment to dig a trench large enough to get the animal to safety.
A veterinarian deemed the horse to be in good health.
Update - Sandy Spring Rd, Burtonsville horse rescue, Horse trapped in old cistern, @mcfrs trench rescue crews digging trench adjacent to where the horse is trapped, veterinarian on scene, horse seems fine pic.twitter.com/xiYJcVJStv
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 23, 2018
Update (~730a) 4700 Sandy Spring Rd, horse trapped up to neck in hole, @mcfrs Technical Rescue Team assisted by @FCDFRS Animal Technical Rescue on scene pic.twitter.com/awDDVO4ouo
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 23, 2018
Update - Burtonsville, horse rescue, @mcfrs Technical Rescue Team making progress pic.twitter.com/Ml87QxmI9F
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 23, 2018
Update - Sandy Spring Rd., Burtonsville, 2000 pound horse has been extricated & removed From collapse cistern, veterinarian examining animal now, all seems ok pic.twitter.com/mGsPzv5BrI
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 23, 2018
12/23 @mcfrs Technical Rescue Team not horsing around, large (nearly 2k lb) horse extracted from an old underground cistern in Burtonsville, horse owners & veterinarian (both on scene) indicate horse is well & good (glad to be out of the hole) no or only minor injuries pic.twitter.com/9PeLKwEEii
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 23, 2018