LYNN — A gull is alive and safely in the hands of wildlife rehabilitators after being rescued from a spike atop St. Pius V Church.
The Lynn Fire Department, Massachusetts Environmental Police, and various wildlife rescuers and rehabilitators responded to reports of a gull impaled on a spike on the roof of the church around 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
Linda Amato, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator from Cape Ann Wildlife, was one of the first to the scene. She said she was contacted by a resident who noticed the bird struggling on the roof and rushed to get to the church. She contacted the environmental police and a climber to assess the situation.
When Amato arrived, however, she was unable to do anything.
“We cannot touch that bird without (the church’s) permission,” she said.
Fire Department District Chief Joseph Zukas said that the church was concerned about liability for potential injuries and damage to the building.
Zukas also said that the Department needed to ensure the rescuers’ safety, as rain earlier in the day had made the church’s slate roof slippery.
After the delay, though, Lt. Chris “Rusty” Jordan and firefighter Tom Hogan were allowed to rescue the bird.
Jordan and Hogan, with the help of firefighter Randy Sansoni, utilized a bucket truck to reach the bird, scoop it up in a blanket, and bring it down to the rehabilitators.
The spectacle attracted a crowd who watched the rescue. As Hogan wrapped the bird in the blanket and brought it into the bucket, the crowd cheered.
“We found out that the wind blew the seagull into the roof and it got its wing impaled in the lightning rod, but they just got it,” Jordan said. “One of the ladies here is gonna take him, so hopefully he’ll be fine.”
Zukas lauded the work of the firefighters who made the rescue, crediting their precision and professionalism to their years of experience.
Amato and Jess Reese of Salem Wildlife Rescue said that the bird had been stuck on the roof for a day and a half.
Ward 3 Councilor Coco Alinsug drove down to the church after receiving messages from concerned residents.
“My phone was bombarded with phone calls,” Alinsug said. “We have a Ward 3 group page and people were posting photos, and so when I read it and when I answered the phone, I just had to drive here.”
Ward 2 Councilor Obed Matul said that as an animal lover who has three cats, he was concerned about the bird being in pain.
“I don’t know how it got there,” Matul said. “But I think it’s the right thing that the rescue team is here to get it down. I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Richelle Melad and Stuart Foster contributed to this report.
