Nikole Babb, nbabb@cherryroad.com

A Benton resident was rescued today after he fell 12ft deep into an abandoned well on a neighboring property.

The Benton Police Department, alongside several other surrounding first responder agencies were dispatched to the report of a man falling into a well today just before 11am. The well, which is situated between two properties on the north side of the 300 block of S Wichita Street in Benton, was covered up to ground level, according to the property owner.

With the influx of rain the area had received over the last few weeks, the dirt had settled a considerable amount, leaving it an unknown dangerous spot for those unaware of the settling.

While working in his yard, a man fell in and luckily wasn’t severely harmed – he had his cell phone on him to call for help, he recalled. He was extricated from the well before 12:30pm.

The man was unidentified for privacy reasons but was reported to be in his 50’s. Butler County EMS transported him to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Before he left, Benton Police reported no obvious major injuries and that he was conscious and communicating well with first responders.

Other responding agencies included Benton Public Works and Utilities, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County EMS, Butler County Heavy Rescue, Butler County Fire District #7, Andover Fire Department, Augusta Fire Department, Sedgwick County Fire District #32 and Sedgwick County Fire District #1. Life Flight was also notified of the situation and was on stand-by but wasn’t utilized.

This call was a unique call that local first responders don’t see often – in Butler County, the last crevice or crevasse rescue done was before the 90’s, according to Butler EMS.

“It’s pretty rare to have a trench rescue around here,” said Scott Stueven, Deputy Director of Butler EMS. “It’s pretty amazing that all of our agencies can come together to successfully complete this rescue without have to do it often.”