12 people were rescued from boats under the collapsed dock
Nashville Fire Department (NFD) and Office of Emergency Management (OEM) crews rescued 12 people after a boating dock collapsed on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.
Metro DEC Dispatchers sent crews to 2001 Riverside Road around 8:30pm after receiving reports of a water structure collapse with multiple subjects trapped.
When crews arrived, the 100-yard boat dock was in the water and inaccessible to responders by foot. A water rescue was immediately activated, launching NFD Boat 22, NFD Boat 36 and OEM’s Rescue Boat and Divers.
The boat crews found 12 people in various boats that were sinking and/or taking on water. Crews were able to transfer them from the damaged boats to a rescue boat and then to safety. Hendersonville Fire Department sent a boat and assisted with the transfer process.
Once ashore, each subject was assessed by medical crews on the scene. There were no injuries to those involved and no transports to the hospital were made.
After the initial search, crews conducted a secondary search going boat to boat to ensure everyone was safe. All persons that were identified as being on the scene were rescued and have been accounted for.
NFD and OEM wants to remind boaters that operating boats during inclement weather conditions can be extremely dangerous. Like the roadways, the recommendation is that boaters stay out of the water until weather conditions improve. Accidents risk boater’s life and property, but also endanger the personnel that respond to these types of incidents.
The Coast Guard will be investigating this scene.
