A man in his 50s has sustained serious injuries after falling from the historic Rochester Castle in Kent. The incident prompted a major emergency response on Thursday morning.
Major Emergency Response at Historic Site
Emergency services were called to Rochester Castle on Castle Hill at approximately 8.40am after receiving reports of a person falling from a height. The initial call came in at 8.41am, triggering a swift multi-agency operation.
Kent Police confirmed they were alerted to a medical incident at the castle at 9.33am and attended to assist ambulance crews. A substantial presence from the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) was deployed, with seven ambulances sent to the scene.
Complex Rescue Operation
Kent Fire and Rescue Service also played a critical role, dispatching three fire engines alongside their technical rescue and line rescue units. Firefighters worked in coordination with Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedics to safely rescue the injured man from the castle grounds.
A spokesman for the ambulance service detailed the injuries, stating the man was treated for wounds to his chest, femur (thigh bone), and ankle. After being assessed and stabilised at the scene, he was carefully transported from the site via stretcher around 10.30am.
Transfer to Major Trauma Centre
The casualty was subsequently taken by road to King's College Hospital in London, a major trauma centre, for further specialist medical treatment. Medway Council, which manages the historic monument, provided support to the emergency services throughout the operation, with staff in high-visibility jackets patrolling the area.
The condition of the man is not currently known, and the circumstances leading to the fall are unclear. The castle, a popular tourist attraction with a history dating back nearly a thousand years, remained the focus of a significant emergency intervention for several hours on Thursday morning.
