A 15-year-old girl who fell into an old water well in the Hainesville area April 21 escaped with only some scratches after quick teamwork by three area fire departments.

The Hainesville, Quitman and Mineola departments combined resources and personnel to bring Erynn Thomas out of the 35 to 40-foot deep well after she fell through a plywood cap while playing with friends.

Mineola Fire Marshal David Madsen said it was fortunate that the well, which was no longer in use, had a concrete sleeve, which helped Thomas to avoid injury other than some scrapes on the way down.

Her rescue was quickly attempted with a rope that her grandfather who lives nearby brought, but she did not make it to the top before slipping back down.

That rope, however, helped her not to have to tread water, which was too deep for her to touch bottom.

The well was about three-feet wide, Masden said, so Thomas did not become wedged.

But when Mineola fireman Justin Clower was lowered into the well for the rescue, there was little room left to maneuver.

Clower was able to get a chest harness around Thomas, and the two were pulled up together.

Madsen said between the three departments, they had sufficient manpower and equipment to rescue the girl.

But he said it showed that the Mineola department needs to acquire some additional equipment, such as a tripod system, so that it will have sufficient gear for a rescue operation in the future.

The well had been abandoned, Madsen said he was told, because the water was not good, and it had started to silt in.

He said a concrete cap was planned, and those plans are likely being accelerated.