By Hawaii 24/7 Staff

Fire/rescue crews responded to a 4:08 p.m. alarm Saturday (Dec 3) to Kaumana Caves above Hilo for a 59 year-old woman who fell into the lava tube and sustained serious head and chest injuries from the fall.

The woman had been hiking on a trail in the area of back entrance to Kaumana Caves and fell about 15 feet into the cave’s lava tube system. Because of her head injuries she was placed on a backboard, carried out of the cave and airlifted by helicopter to an ambulance which took her to Hilo Medical Center in serious condition.