Breast Cancer Walk Participant Dania Beach Gets Stuck On Fort Lauderdale Drawbridge

Dania Beach, a Florida breast cancer walk participant, was walking across a railroad drawbridge spanning Fort Lauderdale’s New River when it opened up – leaving her clinging to the bridge planks as she hung over the water.

The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5k in the area that Beach – who was outfitted in a pink ensemble – had presumably participated in did not include the railroad bridge in its route. It is unknown why Beach was crossing the river there, though it is suspected she was taking a shortcut home.

“This bridge is controlled from Tallahassee. There’s not a bridge minder here anymore,” witness Phillip Glazebrook told NBC 6, explaining that the bridge in question gives a warning signal before it begins to open. Glazebrook added, recalling the scene, “So she’s stuck on the bridge and she’s going up. The next thing is, she’s stuck, straddled like Jesus Christ."

Beach was stuck hanging on to the bridge for about 20 minutes. The railway had offered to lower the bridge, but firefighters decided it would be best to retrieve Beach with the use of a latter. Thankfully, the 5k walker was not injured in the incident.

While Beach avoided getting hurt in her dramatic incident over the New River, she might face a trespassing charge, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.n"My understanding is that she elected to take a shortcut home," Florida East Coast Railway spokesperson Robert Ledoux told the paper.

– Chelsea Regan

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