Bay State man rescued after plunging from 300-foot cliff

DIXFIELD, Maine - A 54-year-old Massachusetts man who fell over 300 feet down the face of a cliff Sunday night was rescued by game wardens in sub-zero temperatures, and then LifeFlighted by helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center early today.

After driving his tracked ATV with his nephew up Holt Hill in Dixfield last night, at around 10:30, Robert Burns, 54 of Waltham, was looking over the cliff known as Bull Rock when he slipped and slid down the face of a 300 foot cliff.

His nephew called 911, and game wardens responded to the scene at the top of Holt Hill. Burns initially was unconscious but eventually Warden Kris MacCabe heard his muffled yells for help, and directed Wardens Harry Weigman and Josh Smith to his location at the base of the cliff, where he was lying in the snow, severely injured and fading in and out of consciousness.

Game Wardens were able to load him into a sled, and along with other first responders, carry him out to a waiting Med-Care ambulance around 2 a.m. He was taken by ambulance to a waiting LifeFlight Helicopter which transported him to Central Maine Medical Center.

Burns suffered injuries to his head, leg and chest in the fall. Personnel from the Dixfield Fire Department, Peru Fire Department, Mexico Fire Department, Rumford Fire Department, Med Care rescue, Dixfield Police Department, Lifeflight, Mahoosuc SAR, and the Poodunck snowmobile club assisted in the rescue.