On March 4th, soon after 8:00 a.m., the Town of Brownville Fire Department was summoned to the old Brownville Bridge on the Paddy Hill side for a report of an excavator that had fallen over an embankment into the Black River.

Brownville Rescue 7-7-3 responded, as did Dexter Engine 7-1-1, and chiefs 7-0-4 (T. LaSage) and 7-0-3 (LJ Young). Upon arrival, personnel discovered the excavator flipped in the river. The operator had exited the equipment and landed before the firefighters arrived.

The Guilfoyle Ambulance Service provided emergency care on the spot and took the operator to the hospital. Due to oil and diesel fuel leaking from the machine, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation responded for environmental mitigation. Additional assistance was provided by the City of Watertown Fire Department, New York State Police, and New York State Department of Transportation.