While trying to Rescue a trapped dog in a Cave in Tennessee, firefighters faced an unexpected challenge: they discovered a black bear in the same cave.

The dog, Charlie, had been stuck nearly 40 feet deep in a narrow cave shaft on English Mountain in eastern Tennessee for three days. A team of rope rescue experts from various fire departments embarked on a mission to free Charlie. Two firefighters went into the cave and were in for a surprise.

Firefighter Tori Downing and Captain Jon Lanier encountered a bear sleeping five feet below them, with Charlie farther into the cave system. This 2-year-old black bear weighed around 200 pounds, according to the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

To ensure safety, the rescue team left the cave and set up trail cameras to monitor when the bear left. They confirmed the bear had left the cave the following day.

With the cave now bear-free, the stage was set for Charlie’s rescue. Three firefighters went into the cave on a rope system. Initially, they were not able to reach the trapped dog.

“At first, we actually thought the dog had slipped further into the cave where we couldn’t access,” said Lanier. “It was kinda sad because we felt like we were gonna have to leave the dog there.”

But then, another firefighter, Christian Ellard, spotted Charlie’s tracker collar antenna just as they were about to leave. Charlie was dehydrated and hungry but otherwise in good condition.

The rescue team created a harness for Charlie and successfully brought him out of the cave. Charlie was joyfully reunited with his owner.

The Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department expressed gratitude to the rescue team and everyone involved in making this rescue happen. It was a true team effort that required the cooperation of multiple departments.

English Mountain is near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, home to around 1,900 black bears.

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