Andrew Pace
The Dock Street Dam in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has been the site of many tragic accidents, including the deaths of at least 29 people. The dam has been described as a 'drowning machine' due to its deadly whirlpool effect. In one incident, a boat stalled three times, sending it towards the dam. The force of the river sent the boat over the dam, causing it to capsize. In another incident, a boat went over the dam sideways and capsized, sucking in two of its passengers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| Date | 7 May 2018 |
| Fatalities | A mother, her 3-year-old daughter, and their family dog |
| Cause | The boat capsized while approaching the dam |
| Rescue | Fire-fighting crew rescued two people from the boat |
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What You'll Learn
The dangers of the Dock Street Dam
The Dock Street Dam in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has been the site of several fatal accidents. The dam has been described as a 'drowning machine' and has killed at least 29 people.
In one incident, a boat stalled three times, sending it towards the dam. The force of the river sent the boat over the dam, causing it to capsize. In another incident, a boat approached the dam at about 5 pm. The boat's prop became lodged in the top of the dam, and the bow began to fill with water, causing the boat to capsize.
The Dock Street Dam is particularly dangerous due to its low-head design. In 2019, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission began investigating an incident in which two kayakers ignored warning buoys and went over the dam. Their rescuers from the Harrisburg Fire Department also went over the dam, prompting a "mayday" call.
To mitigate the dangers of the Dock Street Dam, the state of Pennsylvania has considered legislation that would authorise Fish and Boat Commission officers to issue citations to dam owners for failing to properly mark or maintain warnings about the dangers of low-head dams.
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The rescue of the Boulders
On the night of May 7, 2018, a mother, her 3-year-old daughter, and their family dog were killed when their boat capsized while approaching the Dock Street Dam in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The dam has been nicknamed the 'drowning machine' due to the number of fatalities it has caused, with at least 29 people killed.
The dam is particularly dangerous due to its low-head design, which creates a powerful whirlpool effect. In the 2018 incident, the mother and daughter's boat was sucked into the whirlpool and capsized, throwing all three occupants into the water.
In another incident, a man named Greenholtz was aboard a 16-foot powerboat with a roommate and a friend when they approached the dam. Greenholtz tried to throw the boat into reverse, but it was too late, and they went over the dam. The boat capsized, and Greenholtz and his roommate were sucked into the whirlpool. Fortunately, the friend was thrown clear and survived.
The Dock Street Dam has been the site of numerous other incidents and near-misses. In one case, a boat stalled three times, sending it towards the dam. As the boat neared, the operator, Bouder, jumped out and held it from going over for about 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the force of the river was too strong, and the boat went over the dam, capsizing and sweeping Bouder underwater. George Oxley, 16, and two other volunteers with the River Rescue Service attempted to save Bouder's family, but their boat also capsized.
The dangerous nature of the Dock Street Dam has led to calls for improved safety measures. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is investigating an incident in which two kayakers ignored warning buoys and went over the dam, prompting a "mayday" that brought rescuers from both sides of the Susquehanna River. In April 2019, new buoys were installed near the dam to improve safety.
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The rescue of Greenholtz and his roommate
On an afternoon outing, Greenholtz and his roommate were aboard his 16-foot powerboat when it approached the Dock Street Dam at about 5 p.m. Greenholtz said he was unaware of the dam's presence, and despite his roommate's warning, he was unable to reverse the boat in time. The prop of the inboard motor became lodged in the top of the dam, causing the boat to capsize and sending Greenholtz and his roommate into the churning whirlpool effect of the dam.
The friend who was with them was thrown clear of the whirlpool, but Greenholtz and his roommate were sucked in. Fortunately, firefighters who were training on the river sprang into action and attempted a rescue. However, their boat also went over the dam, throwing all three firefighters from the watercraft.
Despite the challenges, the firefighters persisted in their rescue efforts. Frank Egresitz, Chief of Harrisburg Water Rescue, was involved in the rescue of three people from a stranded boat at Dock Street Dam in August 2018. This incident highlights the dangers posed by the Dock Street Dam, which has earned the nickname "drowning machine" due to the numerous fatalities associated with it.
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The 2012 incident
In 2012, a boat went over the Dock Street Dam in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The incident was captured on news video footage, which shows the boat going over the dam and two people being rescued by a fire-fighting crew.
The Dock Street Dam has been nicknamed the 'drowning machine' due to the number of fatalities it has caused. At least 29 people are known to have died at the dam, including a mother, her three-year-old daughter, and their family dog, who were killed when their boat capsized while approaching the dam in 2018.
The dam has also been the site of several near-misses and rescues. In one incident, a boat carrying a family stalled three times, sending it towards the dam. As the boat neared the dam, the father jumped out and held it back from going over for about 10 minutes while his wife tried to restart the motor. Despite his efforts, the force of the river eventually sent the boat over the dam, and it capsized. The father was swept underwater as he tried to save his family, but they were all rescued by members of the River Rescue Service.
In another incident, a 16-foot power boat carrying three people went over the dam after the driver, Greenholtz, failed to see the dam in time. The boat capsized, throwing one person clear, while Greenholtz and his roommate were sucked into the whirlpool effect of the dam.
The dangers of the Dock Street Dam have prompted discussions about the need for better warning systems and maintenance of markings to alert boaters to the presence of the dam. In 2019, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission began investigating an incident in which two kayakers went over the dam, along with their Harrisburg Fire Department rescuers, after allegedly ignoring warning buoys.
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The 2016 incident
In 2016, a boat stranded at the Dock Street Dam in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was rescued by firefighters. Three people were rescued from the boat, but the firefighters' boat also went over the dam, throwing all three of them from the watercraft.
The Dock Street Dam has been the site of several other incidents. In one incident, a boat carrying a mother, her three-year-old daughter, and their family dog capsized while approaching the dam, killing all three. In another incident, a 16-foot power boat carrying Greenholtz and two others went over the dam after approaching it at about 5 pm. The prop of the inboard motor became lodged in the top of the dam, and the boat capsized, sucking in Greenholtz and his roommate.
The Dock Street Dam has been called a "drowning machine" and has killed at least 29 people. In one incident, a boat carrying a family stalled three times, sending it towards the dam. As the boat neared, the father jumped out and held it from going over for about 10 minutes while his wife tried to restart the motor. However, the force of the river sent the boat over the dam, and it capsized. The father was swept underwater as he tried to save his wife and children. A 16-year-old boy and two other volunteers with the River Rescue Service tried to save the family, but their boat also capsized.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the boat went over the dam and capsized.
The boat capsized and the people on board were sucked into the dam.
The boat stalled three times, sending it towards the dam. The force of the river then sent the boat over the dam.
