SHELL ROCK &#8212 A man escaped serious injury Sunday afternoon when he was knocked unconscious after his canoe went over a low-head dam in Shell Rock.

Jim Bell, 26, of Shell Rock, reportedly hit his head on a hard object in the water and was knocked unconscious.

He was pulled from the Shell Rock River by Mike Schultz, a Shell Rock firefighter. Bell was taken to Waverly Health Center for observation. He is not believed to have suffered life threatening injuries.

The other passenger in the canoe, Michael Mathis, 44, also of Shell Rock, swam to shore on his own.

The incident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Officials said the life jackets won by both men possibly saved them from drowning.