By John McGlothlen
The Gazette
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa — Independence firefighters rescued a woman pinned by a boulder Monday in southeast Buchanan County.
The Independence Fire Department in a Facebook post said they were dispatched around 3 p.m. to the 3000 block of Overland Boulevard for reports of a woman trapped by a large, falling rock.
| NEXT: 4 things EMS providers must know about crush syndrome
Rescue workers found a “massive stone” had shifted and spun, pinning the woman’s legs. They extricated her using specialized equipment.
The woman was flown by helicopter to a hospital for her injuries. The Facebook post shared no additional details on the woman’s condition or the accident’s cause.
The Independence Fire Department received assistance from the Rowley Fire Department, the Quasqueton Fire Department, AMR Ambulance, Air Care Helicopter and the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office and dispatch.
© 2026 The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa).
Visit thegazette.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.