LYNN — Lynn Police and firefighters were able to prevent a suicidal man from jumping off a bridge on Washington Street Tuesday night.
A precarious situation became even more dire when the man slid off the side of the MBTA bridge as first responders were attempting to talk him down.
As he dangled from the bridge, Lynn police officers and firefighters, who had been slowly inching toward him on an aerial ladder, were able to grab hold of him and prevent him from falling, according to a Lynn Fire Department social media post.
“Quick action and teamwork between both the Lynn Police and fire departments helped prevent a tragedy,” the fire department statement said.
Shortly after 8 p.m., Lynn firefighters, police and paramedics from Atlantic Ambulance responded to a report of a man threatening to jump off the MBTA bridge in the area of 501 Washington St., the statement said.
Train service was stopped as responding firefighters from Ladder Co. 1 set up their aerial ladder to try to get closer while first responders attempted to talk to him. It was at that point that the man slid off the side of the bridge, which left him holding on by just his hands, the statement said.
As the man became increasingly agitated and began to let go of the railings, Firefighter Marc Lacaillade leaned forward over the railing of the ladder and grabbed the man’s waist, Lynn Fire Capt. Joseph Zukas said.
At the same time, Lynn Police officers, who were on the railroad tracks trying to talk the man off the bridge, were able to grab the man’s hands from the top, stopping him from falling, Zukas said.
“Lt. Leon Elwell came in behind Firefighter Lacaillade to grab the man’s feet that were kicking and flailing. With the Lynn police officers pulling the man’s hands, he was able to be lifted back up over the railing onto the train tracks,” the fire department statement said.
Firefighters and police placed the man on the ladder and got him down to safety. The man was placed into protective custody by Lynn Police and taken by ambulance to the hospital for an evaluation, Zukas said.
“The Lynn firefighters and Lynn police officers worked very well together and it was a successful result.” said Zukas. “It could have been a fatality. If he jumped, he could have gotten seriously hurt, if not killed. It was a very unusual call that resulted in somebody’s life that got saved. Thank God it doesn’t happen every day.”
