Man plummets through watchtower on Westport’s Gooseberry Island

WESTPORT — A walk on the beach led to a tower of terror for one man Monday night.

Around sunset, Westport Fire Department crews rescued a man who plummeted 10 to 20 feet into the Gooseberry Island World War II watchtower.

Westport Fire Department Deputy Chief Dan Baldwin said the man gained access to the interior of the tower through a small, 1-foot-by-3-foot opening about 10 feet off the ground. The steel plate had been removed from that area and when he got inside the tower he climbed to an unknown height when he slipped and fell, said Baldwin.

The male, in his early 30s, appeared to have broken bones, but non-life-threatening injuries. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment, said Baldwin.

When crews arrived, the male was face down in the tower. “It’s fortified to keep people out, which makes it difficult for us to get in,” said Baldwin. “The gate is like a prison cell door that’s been welded shut.”

The fire department crew eventually gained access through a steel plate covering up a small hole in the door that had been covered with dirt and a boulder.

In the meantime, paramedics were able to begin initial treatment on the man by gaining access to the interior using ground ladders, said Baldwin.

The call to the fire department came in at 8:32 and crews were there about 40 minutes. They got to the tower, connected to the parking area by a sandy and rocky path, and transported the victim using a John Deere Gator all-terrain vehicle equipped for EMS purposes.

Baldwin said a group of friends who were with the man alerted a state worker, who was closing the Gooseberry Island parking lot for the day. The worker contacted the police through a 911 call that was conveyed to the fire department.

The World War II-era tower, which is covered with graffiti all the way to the top, is used today as a navigational landmark for local boaters, said Baldwin. Following this incident, he said the state would work to secure the building once again.