Dish Soap Helps Free Girl Wedged In Pine County Rock Formation

SANDSTONE, Minn. (WCCO) -- A 13-year-old girl is safe at home after being stuck for hours on a rock wall 40 feet up in the air.

It happened at the Robinson Park Quarry in Sandstone on Wednesday. The teenager's leg got stuck between two pieces of rock.

WCCO's Kate Raddatz explains how a common household product helped rescuers free her.

These rocks are a common place to climb at the park. It's where a teenage girl went rock climbing along with an experienced group. But her leg got stuck.

"A lot of people know about this crack. There is a flake between the main body of the cliff," Captain Rick Slatten with the St. Louis County Rescue Squad said.

Rescuers from St Louis County were called in. Captain Rick Slatten says they had to use dish soap on the girl's leg, and a tool to chisel away at the rock.

"She was scared, she was in pain. She alternated between cracking jokes with us and obviously being very upset," Slatten said.

It took the help of roughly 40 rescuers in the operation.

"They were concerned about a loss of circulation to her lower leg," Slatten said.

After four-and-a-half hours, the girl was freed and lowered to the ground with only soft tissue injuries. She's expected to fully recover.

"She was smiling. That makes it all worthwhile," Slatten said.

Authorities say the rescue is a reminder to always climb in groups and to let someone know ahead of time where you will be. In this case, the girl was doing everything right. It was simply a freak accident.

The Sandstone Fire Department and the Isanti County Fire Department, along with the DNR, assisted in the rescue.