ROCHESTER — Rochester police and firefighters mounted a coordinated rescue Wednesday afternoon after three women were discovered trapped along the Genesee River Gorge near Maplewood Park.
Incident and response
The Rochester Police Department and Rochester Fire Department were dispatched about 4:15 p.m. to reports of a person trapped in the gorge. Officers followed the Genesee Riverway Trail and then continued north on a non-designated path near Maplewood Avenue to reach the scene.
Responders located two women at the top of the cliff — a 32-year-old woman from Spencerport and a 58-year-old woman from Rochester. A third woman, a 24-year-old Rochester resident, had slid partially down the cliff face and sustained what police described as minor injuries.
Rope rescue and medical evaluation
The younger woman was able to make her way down the embankment, where Rochester Fire Department personnel brought her to safety. The 58-year-old was found clinging to the base of a leaning tree at the top of the cliff and being supported by officers until fire crews could set up a rope rescue.
"She was held by police until RFD got to the area to do a rope rescue,"
Once fire crews arrived, rescuers tied both the woman and the officers who had been holding onto her into a rope system and pulled them to safety. The two Rochester women — the 58-year-old and the 24-year-old — were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation.
- Dispatch time: approximately 4:15 p.m.
- Locations involved: Maplewood Park, Genesee Riverway Trail, near Maplewood Avenue
- Patients taken to hospital: two (58 and 24, both Rochester residents)
Local context and safety considerations
Maplewood Park and the Genesee River Gorge are heavily used public spaces for walking and viewing the river. Portions of the area include steep, non-designated pathways and cliff edges that can be hazardous, particularly where visitors stray from marked trails. The incident underscores the risks posed by such non-designated routes and the strain they can place on first responders when technical rope rescue resources are required.
Rochester Police and Rochester Fire Department crews have specialized training for swiftwater and rope rescues and maintain coordinated response procedures for incidents along the river gorge. This event highlights the departments' ability to respond quickly to complex rescues that require both police support on unstable terrain and fire department rope-technical operations.
Who was involved
| Subject | Age | Residence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victim 1 | 32 | Spencerport | Located at top of cliff; rescued |
| Victim 2 | 58 | Rochester | Clinging to tree; rope rescue; taken to Strong Memorial |
| Victim 3 | 24 | Rochester | Slid partially down cliff; minor injuries; taken to Strong Memorial |
What officials say and next steps
Police reports indicate that officers and firefighters worked together to secure the scene and bring the women to safety. Two of the women were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation. The Rochester Police Department did not provide details about charges or any enforcement action; the incident is being handled as a rescue rather than a criminal matter based on the information released.
Visitors to Maplewood Park are advised to remain on marked trails and heed posted warnings. City officials routinely remind the public that non-designated paths and cliff edges near the gorge can be unstable and dangerous.
Additional updates will be provided if the Rochester Police Department or Rochester Fire Department release further information about the cause of the incident or the conditions of those taken to the hospital.
Camille Rousseau
State correspondent, WE NEWS
