Las Cruces Fire Department Conducts Technical Rescue in Organ Mountains 

The individual fell from a rope and was trapped more than 60 feet below the surface without a way out.

Source: Las Cruces Fire Department
Photo: Courtesy

The Las Cruces Fire Department’s technical rescue team was dispatched alongside state police Monday morning to assist in rescuing a person who had fallen into an abandoned mine shaft in the Organ Mountains. The call came in at about 10:30 a.m.

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The individual fell from a rope and was trapped more than 60 feet below the surface without a way out. Authorities said the person was able to reach an area within the shaft where a cell signal was available and called 911.

Rescuers located the shaft and set up a rope system to bring the individual to safety. The person suffered rope burn injuries to the arms and hands but had no other reported injuries.No firefighters were reported injured from this rescue.

Technical rescue is one of the most specialized functions modern fire departments perform. While many people still associate firefighters primarily with structure fires, incidents like Monday’s rescue in the Organ Mountains fall into a category of emergency response that requires advanced training, specialized equipment, and careful coordination.

Technical rescue calls can include:

• confined space incidents
• high-angle and rope rescues
• trench or excavation collapses
• water and swift-water rescues
• structural collapse operations
• wilderness or remote-location extractions

In the case of an abandoned mine shaft, rescuers must treat the scene as both a rope rescue and a confined-space hazard. Depth, unstable footing, limited access, and the possibility of loose debris or changing air conditions all add risk for both the victim and the rescue team. These operations require responders to build secure rope systems, maintain constant communication, and move deliberately to avoid making a dangerous situation worse.

Monday’s incident is a reminder that local fire agencies are trained and equipped to handle far more than fires, providing highly specialized rescue capabilities across a broad range of emergencies in our broader community.