Two kids rescued from Bureau Creek in Princeton on Tuesday – Shaw Local
A child is rescued from Big Bureau Creek after being stuck on a sandbar as Bureau County emergency personnel pull her to safety during a water rescue near the Captain Swift Bridge on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Princeton. (Scott Anderson)
Two children were rescued from Bureau Creek in Princeton on Tuesday after strong currents carried them downstream while they were swimming, according to the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office.
Lt. James Todd said the children were swept away by the current before reaching a small island where they became stranded.
“They were swimming and the tides carried them away,” Todd said. “They got stranded on a lower portion where they were able to get to.”
Emergency responders, including the Princeton Fire Department, rescued the pair using ropes and a rescue buoy, Todd said.
Todd said the children were stranded for about 15 to 20 minutes from the time authorities received the emergency call until they were rescued. Both were safely brought to shore with no injuries were reported.
“Everyone’s back home safe,” Todd said.
Additional information about the rescue effort was not immediately available Tuesday. Todd referred questions regarding the technical aspects of the rescue to the Princeton Fire Department, who were not available for comment on Tuesday afternoon.
A child stands on a sandbar as swift current surrounds them as Bureau County emergency personnel gather to perform a water rescue on Big Bureau Creek near the Captain Swift Bridge on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Princeton. (Scott Anderson)
Bill Freskos is a multimedia journalist based in the Illinois Valley. He covers hard news, local government, sports, business enterprise, and politics while contributing to Shaw Local Radio stations for Shaw Media across La Salle, Bureau, and Putnam counties.