Connecticut firefighters rescue runaway cow stuck in dangerous water tunnel in four-day mission

The steaks were high.

Firefighters came to the rescue of a runaway cow that became trapped inside a water tunnel that was rapidly filling with water in a thrilling mission that took several days to carry out.

Blossom was first spotted Oct. 28 stuck in a concrete box culvert — spanning just 100 feet — beneath a highway in Middletown, a city 15 miles south of Hartford.

The Bible Rock Brook, which flows through the culvert, was rapidly gushing, leaving the 5-year-old bovine standing in 8-inch-deep waters, the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company said.

The frigid temperatures, intense high water flow and steep terrain made for a risky rescue and it took two days before firefighters were able to reach Blossom for two days, who was growing significantly agitated.

“While teams were able to access the culvert, the uncooperative cow was inaccessible,” the fire squad said in a statement.

Finally, on Halloween, a team from Tufts Veterinary Field Service joined the mission and sedated the 600-pound heifer with a tranquilizing dart, allowing rescuers to strap and secure her to a flexible sled and drag her back on land.

Firefighters then used a pulley machine to lift her out of the ravine four days after she was first discovered.

“Through a FEMA grant, SFD recently updated our rope rescue capacity with training and equipment, who knew that we would use it to rescue a 600-pound cow !!” the South Fire District Middletown, who aided in the mission, said.

Surprisingly, Blossom had sustained only minor scrapes on her legs.

It’s not clear how long she was trapped, but Blossom had been missing since escaping from a nearby pasture two months earlier.

Blossom was taken to a state-owned barn to quarantine and will later be taken to a new home outside New Haven.