Mt. Vernon man safe after being swept away at Laurel Lake spillway Sunday

A rescue effort at the Laurel Lake spillway Sunday night had a happy ending, as a Mount Vernon man escaped uninjured.

Zac Burrin of Mt. Vernon, left, survived the rushing waters created when water was released through the dam at Laurel Lake Sunday to generate electricity. Burrin was swept downstream, but was no injured in the incident.

Zac Burrin went into the water below the spillway at approximately 4:40 p.m. when water went pouring through the dam to generate electricity.

Burrin was one of four people fishing in the area.

They told rescue personnel that they heard the siren sound announcing the pending release of the water, but did not know what it meant.

At the time, they were attempting to cross from the Laurel County side to the Whitley County side, making their way back to the parking lot at the dam where they had parked.

While three of the men were successfully able to cross, Burrin was swept away in the rushing water. He was last seen on a rock, but was swept downstream.

Woodbine Search and Rescue, Oak Grove firefighters, London-Laurel Rescue Squad, Ky. Department of Fish and Wildlife and Us. Forest Service personnel began searching for Burrin, using both boats and ground crews.

Burrin was located along the bank at approximately 6:15 p.m. and brought back to the spillway parking lot.

After a short conversation with emergency personnel on the scene, he was reunited with his friends.

“I just rode the wave of water down,” Burrin said of the incident adding that he was able to save all of his fishing gear.

Ground crews were able to successfully locate the other three members of the party. By approximately 7:30 p.m. all had been accounted for.