"Units were dispatched to the area of Vale Summit Road, under the Clarysville Bridge where a victim had been spotted by Maryland State Police after she likely fell from the bridge, " Lt. Todd Bowman, public information officer for the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services said. "Foul play is not suspected in the incident. Maryland State Police is continuing the investigation."

 

Access to the victim was made difficult due to the incline and excessive vegetation, Bowman said. 

 

Crews attempted access from the Vale Summit Road location, paths off of this road and from westbound I-68, Bowman said.

 

"A crew was able to access the victim from a path under the bridge and determined that she was deceased," Bowman said. "As crews were working on access, command was working with the Joint Communications Center and the Allegany County's Special Operations Technical Rope Rescue Team to gain access to the victim."

 

Fire department units from Frostburg, LaVale and Potomac, EMS units from Allegany County DES- Frostburg Station, LaVale, a DES EMS supervisor worked with the county's rope rescue team and the investigating police agency to remove the victim from the remote location. 

 

"Our special operations rope rescue technicians used a system of ropes and rigging to remove the victim," Bowman said.– 

 

Units were dispatched at 3:41 p.m. and remained on the scene until approximately 6:30 p.m., Bowman said.