A man crossing an exposed stretch of Lake Hefner’s shrinking shoreline sank knee-deep into mud on Sunday evening, triggering a 911 call and a ladder rescue by Oklahoma City firefighters. The man had been trying to walk to the other side of the lakebed when he became stuck, and the more he struggled, the deeper he sank.
Neal Snyder was driving home shortly after 5 p.m. when he spotted the man stuck in the distance, according to News 9. Snyder said he had never seen Lake Hefner’s water level this low. Police were already at the scene by the time he called 911, and Oklahoma City firefighters arrived about two minutes later, per the outlet’s report.
Two firefighters stripped off some of their gear before wading into mud that reached their own knees, the station reported. Scott Douglas said in a statement that the man had been attempting to walk to the other side of the exposed lakebed when he became stuck, moving back and forth as he tried to free himself and sinking deeper with every struggle. Crews ultimately used a ladder to pull him free and guide him to solid ground; the man was not injured.
Why the Ground Looked Solid but Wasn’t
The lakebed’s surface appeared dry and cracked, but extremely soft mud remained underneath, the same report noted. That mismatch is not unique to this stretch of shoreline. According to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Micah Holmes, exposed lakebed mud can dry and harden on top while softer ground stays saturated below — a mechanism the agency says creates suction around a person’s legs once someone breaks through the crust…