NABNASSET — A 21-year-old man died Saturday after falling into the water at Merrill’s Quarry, the Westford Police Department announced.
Police said public safety dispatchers received a 911 call shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday, reporting that the man had fallen into the quarry off Tyngsboro Road. The caller said they could no longer see or locate him.
Both police and firefighters responded to the scene. Upon arrival, police said they found the man face down at the bottom of the quarry. Firefighters then removed the man from the water and began life-saving measures.
The man was then transported to Lowell General Hospital by Westford Fire EMS, where they said he later died from injuries sustained in the fall and prolonged exposure to the water.
It is not yet clear what caused the man to fall into the quarry and the incident remains under investigation by Massachusetts State Police detectives, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Westford Police Special Services Division.
Police warned that Merrill’s Quarry is private property and an extremely dangerous location, with steep and unstable drops, deep water and other potentially life-threatening hazards. They noted that the property is posted with multiple “no trespassing” signs and added that it is illegal to enter the quarry without permission.
The identity of the man has not yet been released and police offered their condolences to his family and friends, while thanking police officers, firefighters and public safety communications personnel for their quick response.
