Woman rescued after truck goes into lake

Published 2:08 pm Wednesday, May 8, 2019

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Albert Lea Fire Rescue workers remove a birdseed bag from the bed of the truck Wednesday as they prepare to have it hauled out of the lake. - Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune

An Albert Lea Fire Rescue worker attaches the truck to the Fountain Lake bank as first responders wait for a crane to remove the truck. - Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune

The Ford truck was removed from the lake before 1 p.m. Wednesday. - Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune

An Albert Lea Fire Rescue worker waits as the crane lowers chains with which to remove the truck from Fountain Lake. - Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune

Albert Lea Fire Rescue workers prepare to get into the water Wednesday to remove the truck that landed in Fountain Lake. - Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune

The truck hit a bench and tree, right, before entering the lake Wednesday. - Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune

Driver, along with 1 rescuer, taken to hospital after crash

The windshield wipers on a dark red Ford truck were still running as a crane removed the truck from Fountain Lake after noon Wednesday.

The truck, driven by Barbara Gilbertson, 87, from rural Alden, landed in the lake near the intersection of Fountain Street and South Newton Avenue after Gilbertson lost control for an unknown reason while in the lower parking lot of City Hall, a city press release states. The truck and driver traveled across Fountain Street, hit a bench and tree and entered the lake.

While George Overturf was in Albert Lea Public Library, he heard a crunch. He said he turned to the window to see the truck go into the lake.

“We saw people show up and people ran out there, like bystanders and stuff,” he said. First responders, who were dispatched at 11:32 a.m., arrived quickly, he said.

According to the release, officers observed three people in the water, removing Gilbertson from the vehicle. Gilbertson and a person who was in the water were both transported to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea via ambulance for injuries deemed not life-threatening.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Allen’s Tow ‘n Travel provided the crane to remove the truck from the lake, which Albert Lea Fire Rescue workers prepared for removal. The truck was removed a little before 1 p.m.

Albert Lea Fire Rescue, Mayo Clinic Ambulance, Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Albert Lea Police Department were on the scene, which was across from the fire department’s headquarters.

“It couldn’t have gone in at a better location,” said Reed Niederstadt, who observed the rescue operation.