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Post Falls man recalls bridge collapse, rescue of policeman

Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 14 years, 1 month AGO
| April 6, 2011 9:00 PM

EDITOR'S NOTE: A story on this incident appeared in Tuesday's Press. Bill Jones Jr., who was involved, explains his role here.

POST FALLS - Bill Jones Jr. describes his fall to the Spokane River on March 27, 1971, like a "floating carpet."

Until he hit the chilly water.

Jones, who came upon a car accident on that date just before the Spokane Street bridge collapsed in Post Falls, said he fell into the Spokane River when the police car did.

He said he pulled Post Falls Police Officer Harry Button to safety after Button told Jones that he couldn't swim.

"I helped save (Button's) life," Jones said. "I pulled Harry by the arm to a catwalk to the sawmill, and Harry Button wasn't a small guy."

Jones, who was 25 at the time, said he went to the hospital, but was not seriously injured.

"I was standing beside the police car and fell at the same time it did," said Jones, now 65, who has lived in Post Falls his entire life.

Button and ridealong Allan Chaffin, who was disabled and worked as a volunteer dispatcher for the fire department, were inside the patrol car. Chaffin died during the incident.

Button appeared on Eveready commercials after the bridge collapse because his Eveready "Captain" flashlight remained working despite it being submerged. Button used the flashlight to signal to rescuers where he and Jones were.

A shadow box containing the flashlight, photos of the bridge collapse and other memorabilia is on display at the Post Falls police department.

Button retired in 1996. He died of cancer in 1998 at 67.

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