WINCHESTER, Mo. – Emergency crews in west St. Louis County successfully rescued a man who was briefly trapped by a trench collapse.
The collapse happened before 3:30 p.m. in the 300 block of Hillcrest Boulevard, located in Winchester.
The Metro West Fire Protection District said the trench was approximately eight feet deep. Fortunately, the collapse only went up to the worker’s waist. It took less than two hours to free him.
Industrial equipment was deployed to help dig the man out, including a heavy-duty vacuum used to remove dirt from the area.
The worker, a 35-year-old man, was pulled from the trench shortly after 5 p.m. and walked to a medical gurney to be loaded onto an ambulance and taken to the hospital.
It’s not quite clear what may have led up to the trench collapse.
An urban search and rescue team comprised of specially trained first responders was on the scene.
“They specialize in this type of confined space or trench rescue,” Assistant Chief Ray White, West County EMS and Fire Protection District, said.
After making sure the victim is okay, the next step is to safely shore up the area around them to prevent a secondary collapse from happening.
Preliminary information indicates the worker was doing foundation work when the trench collapsed but St. Louis County officials and OSHA will investigate how the collapse occurred, according to White.
Multiple fire departments sent personnel to the scene.
“All of them came together with their specialties,” Division Chief Mike Thiemann, Metro West Fire Protection District, said.
As the worker was pulled from the trench, some first responders exchanged high-fives and fist bumps.
“Everyone is relieved and I’m sure the patient is relieved to get out of there, for sure,” White said.
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