A worker in Utah was rescued after he was “buried up to his chin” in a trench collapse in Utah on Tuesday, authorities said.Photo:American Fork Fire & Rescue
American Fork Fire & Rescue
A man was rescued after he was “buried up to his chin” in a trench collapse in Utah on Tuesday, authorities said.
At approximately 1:10 p.m. local time, about 50 first responders from multiple agencies arrived at the scene in Cedar Hills, a suburb of Salt Lake City,according to American Fork Fire & Rescue (AFFR).
Officials with the fire department told the station that the victim, whose identity has not been released at this time, was working as a private contractor on a sewer line with three others when the accident occurred.
The Utah Valley Metro Special Response Team worked to stabilize the trench using specialized equipment — including a truck that vacuumed out dirt — to extract the victim, per KSTU.
He was then airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition, AFFR said. PEOPLE has reached out to the department for the latest on the victim’s condition.
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“I think our victim was very lucky," AFFR Battalion Chief Justin Whatcott told the news station. “Our crews did very good and rapid work to get him removed.”
Worker Rick Jones told the station that the men used shovels and jumped into the hole after the collapse in an attempt to pull the worker above the dirt.
The accident came one day after first responders in the area had undergone specialized training in trench rescue, KSTU reported.
source: people.com
