'It's a death sentence' - Warning issued about deadly Dock Street Dam in Pennsylvania where at least 30 people have lost their lives

Content creator Sterling Fournier responded to a recent TikTok video discussing the Dock Street Dam, or what he and another user call, 'a death sentence.' 

Known as IdkSterling on social media platforms, the TikToker discussed the dangers of the dam located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that's claimed the lives of 30 people.

The original video Fournier was tagged in shows a man pointing to the dam, claiming: 'Every motherf***er who ended up in there has died.'

Fournier emphatically agreed, stating that what the user said was, '100% absolutely correct.'

The dam can be found on the Susquehanna River, along with several buoys used to warn boaters of impending danger. 

The Dock Street Dam in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has claimed the lives of 30 people in the Susquehanna River since 1935

Sterling Fournier, AKA IdkSterling, discussed the dangers of the dam after being tagged in a previously posted TikTok

 

He states that the user who tagged him was '100% absolutely correct' about the dam and the lives lost

 

Fournier explained why it's so dangerous, citing reasons are actually frequent issues seen in other dams. 

He explained: 'It has the illusion of being safe - But the way that this wall is built right here is what makes it so deadly.'

The Dock Street Dam is a low head dam - structured to span fully from one side of the river to the other.

The Harrisburg structure includes a backwash, which Fournier said was like, 'a washing machine.'

'If you fall into this water right here, you're going to go around in circles until you inevitably end up drowning,' he continued.

Even The National Weather Service, a government agency, acknowledges that low head dams are known as 'death machines', and providing guidance on how to avoid drowning when caught in one. 

These dangers and more contribute to why Fournier believes the best course of action regarding the dam is to: 'Stay the hell out of the water.'

The Dock Street Dam is a low-head dam - a structure that spans from one side of the river to the other, and includes backwash that Fournier says is like, 'a washing machine'

It is allegedly possible to escape from a low head dam alive, but it is very difficult to do so

The National Weather Service acknowledged that low head dams are known as 'death machines', but one can escape if following the proper steps 

One lucky TikTok user allegedly found their way out of a low head dam alive but did not say if it was the one located in Harrisburg.

That person said: 'There is a way out, been in one myself, push down and foward to exit thru the bottom of the barrel. Agains instinct but the only way. Not easy tho.' 

City of Harrisburg's Director of Communications, Matt Maisel discussed the significance of the buoys put in the river last April with Local 21 News after another boater lost their life in the Susquehanna.

'Harrisburg Fire, which goes in and puts buoys in every year, they will wait until the water is down to about 4 feet so that it is a more passable area so that they can go in and do it safely, he stated.'

At least 36 buoys are put in the river by May, but will only be there for certain parts of the year due to change of seasons and water height.

One thing that was not seen in the TikTok video were signs warning people about the dams and threats to those who wish to go into the river, and that's because they're very small.

Melvin Eichelberger told Local 21 News: 'I’d like to see the city put bigger signs up or fine them $500. Do not go beyond this point, period.' 

'From the city of Harrisburg or the building safety organization. That’s what they ought to do. Maybe that’ll stop them.'