A woman who was hanging off the outside rails of the 204th Street overpass in Langley City was rescued by firefighters and RCMP Thursday afternoon.
The incident began around 5 p.m., when multiple people began alerting emergency responders about a woman in distress on the overpass.
Langley City fire chief Scott Kennedy said several people drove straight to the nearby firehall and told crews there, who immediately rushed to the scene. Langley RCMP were also dispatched, Kennedy said.
The woman was in a precarious position on the outside of the railings on the west side of the overpass.
The emergency responders physically held the woman and also tied her to the railings with rope so she could not fall.
“They managed to secure her in place,” Kennedy said.
The southbound lanes of the overpass, as well as the Langley Bypass below, were closed to traffic.
A City fire truck with a ladder and bucket was put in place, and manoeuvred next to the woman.
A police officer and a firefighter in the bucket pulled her in and got her to the ground safely.
“No obvious injuries,” Kennedy said. “Obviously, she was quite upset. Crews felt good that it was a successful rescue.”
The woman appeared to be handcuffed on the ground, and was being checked over by a paramedic.
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If you feel like you are in crisis or are considering suicide, please call the Crisis Centre BC suicide hotline at 1-800-784-2433.
Other resources include: Canada Suicide Prevention Service at Toll free: 1-833-456-4566. You can also text 45645 or visit the online chat service at crisisservicescanada.ca.
Some warning signs include suicidal thoughts, anger, recklessness, mood changes, anxiety, lack of purpose, helplessness and substance use.
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