No injured cavers recorded.
On October 11, cavers were exploring in the non-commercial portion of Endless Caverns near New Market, Virginia. At 7:30 p.m., some 3/4 of a mile into the cave and 1/4 mile past the end of the commercial path, a caver took a 40 foot fall. companion went for help. The New Market Rescue Squad was summoned and local cavers were alerted.
The New Market squad arrived first, at 8:30 p.m. but the companion of the injured caver wanted to wait for his own rescue people. At 10 p.m. he decided he could not wait longer and requested the New Market squad's help. Two members carrying first aid supplies were led to the victim. The route included places where one could not stand erect, a 30 foot, out-sloping, slick ledge above a 30 foot drop, and a 15 foot slippery climb up a wall into a narrow opening at the top.
The injured man had fallen down a 40 foot pit (8 feet by 4 feet) in a room 50 by 15 feet with a ceiling of from three to ten feet. Access to the bottom was best obtained by proceeding further into the cave. rappelling down a 60 degree bank and doubling back through a three foot wide passage to the bottom of the pit.
A "primary and secondary" look at the victim showed him to be conscious and responsive. He had multiple rib fractures, a possible fractured pelvis and numerous abrasions and contusions. There did not appear to be head or back injuries. Vital signs were stable. His chest was bound and the rib fractures stabilized Blankets and heat packs were applied. A
t 11:30 p.m. the first of the cavers arrived and began rigging the difficult places for transport. At 12:30 a.m. Dave Morrow, the on-site coordinator arrived and transportation of the victim commenced.
The victim was placed in a Reeves stretcher and the Reeves into a Stokes. This was lifted vertically out of the pit accompanied by a rescuer. At 12:45 the victim became nauseated - this was handled by turning the Stokes on its side. The nausea recurred several times. The victim remained stable although in severe pain. At 1 a.m. the victim was up the pit and two teams of six cavers each began the transport out. At the 30 foot ledge a tyrolean had been rigged and the Stokes was "trolleyed" across.
By 2 a.m. the victim was out of the cave and transported to an ambulance. Seventeen cavers operated in the cave with 13 outside. All were under the coordination of Dave Morrow, Dave Hubbard, and Lee Noon. According the the New Market squad, "their expertise made a near impossible task look routine."
The rescue squad reporter was certainly impressed with the ability and energy of the cavers taking part in the rescue. There is too little information to assign a cause to the accident.