Cheers, then tears: Kitten rescued from 40-foot pit by Chester SC firefighters dies

Cheers for a daring rescue of a kitten in Chester County this week have turned to tears after the kitten died from its injuries.

The kitten was pulled Tuesday from a 40-foot pit at the Thyssenkrupp steel plant in Richburg by volunteer Scotty Hill, said Richburg Fire Chief John Agee and T. Melton, assistant chief.

With help from other firefighters, Hill used ropes rigged to a crane to rappel down the pit.

He grabbed the kitten and pull the tiny animal to safety.

“We all were so proud that Scotty had saved the little guy,” Melton said.

The kitten was rushed to a veterinarian. Hill’s sister had planned to adopt the kitten when the kitten recovered.

The kitten survived through Wednesday, but later suffered a seizure and died, Melton said.

“The kitten had ingested materials, and just couldn’t hang on,” Melton said.

The animal rescue was the second for the department in recent weeks.

In late August, firefighters saved a baby hummingbird that had fallen on the floor of the station.

Agee lauded the heart of his volunteers, who show compassion for both the people they serve in Chester County and animals that need a hand.