After spending most of Thursday buried in dirt up to his waist following a collapse at a construction site, in Eden Prairie, the worker is free and listed in good condition.
The accident occurred at 8:30 a.m. near Picha Place while the worker, 34, was assisting another worker driving a backhoe, as they worked to install a waterline.
The ground gave way below, trapping the man to his waist. More than six rescue departments rushed to the scene.
“When we arrived we had a gentleman that was about 12 to 15 feet down in a trench. He was covered up to about his midline and he was obviously in some distress and in some jeopardy with the loose soils that were surrounding him,” explained Eden Prairie Fire Chief George Esbensen.
Crews removed the debris around him, and then shored up the area so nothing fell on him. Then they started digging, using vactor trucks to suck out the dirt.
Rescue efforts were done by hand, literally, as the ground was unstable. The worker was cooperative and in good spirits considering the predicament he was in, said Esbensen.
The worker was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center and is currently listed in good condition. OSHA is investigating the cause of the accident and what led the ground to give way.
