A 57-year-old man has died after being pulled from the Lackawanna River in Scranton just before noon on Thursday. Emergency crews were initially dispatched to a section of the river near the North Scranton Expressway and Mulberry Street, where the man had reportedly fallen into the water while near the Lackawanna Heritage Trail. Due to the high volume and velocity of the water, first responders were not able to recover him until he reached an area near Broadway Street, located directly behind the SouthSide Sports Complex.
Upon recovery, emergency personnel immediately performed life-saving measures on the victim, who was in cardiac arrest. Scranton Fire Deputy Chief Dan Hallowich noted that the river's freezing temperatures and swift current made the rescue efforts particularly dangerous for both the victim and responders. The man was transported to Geisinger Community Medical Center in critical condition but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The Scranton Police Department and the Lackawanna County Coroner are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the fall.