It took firefighters about two hours and about 1,000 gallons of water to free a Warren County teen after he became stuck in mud up to his waist while crossing Ballgame Creek Sunday.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said sheriff’s deputies and firefighters from the Culkin and Northeast Volunteer Fire departments and the Vicksburg Fire Department were called to the scene about 2:54 p.m. Sunday.

According to sheriff’s office reports, the teen, who was not identified because of his age, was looking for rocks along the creek, when he waded into the shallow water. As he was about to walk out on the opposite bank, he stepped into an area of soft mud and became stuck. After his companion was unable to pull him out, he ran to the boy’s home for help.

After further attempts were unsuccessful, a family member called 911.

Warren County fire coordinator Jerry Briggs, who was at the emergency, said firefighters from Culkin and Northeast used fire hoses to force water into the mud to turn it into a slush, making it easier to get the teen out.

“We had to use the backboards (from the Vicksburg ambulance) to stand on so the guys using the hoses wouldn’t sink,” he said. “They were pushing the hoses further into the mud.”

The boy was taken by ambulance to Merit Health River Region, where he was examined and released, according to the report.