San Antonio first responders swiftly executed a trench rescue on Friday evening, pulling a construction worker from the depths of an 18-foot ditch on the city's far West Side. The San Antonio Fire Department and Bexar County Emergency Services District #2 collaborated in the operation near Millbrook Way and Caleb Mill.
The incident unfolded just as the work day was winding down. A man in his 30s, while attempting to retrieve a ladder, lost his footing and plunged into the confined space. His crew couldn't manage to safely extract him, owing to the injuries he sustained, prompting a call for help. "His crew members called first responders for help because the man was in a confined space and unable to get himself out of the ditch due to his injuries," stated the fire chief with Bexar County ESD #2, as reported by KSAT.
Spearheaded by the county, SAFD was called in to back up, carefully navigating the rescue. The fire department's successful retrieval using a rescue basket highlighted precise coordination among the firefighting units. According to FOX San Antonio, the alert was raised around 5:45 p.m., though further details were limited.
The entire rescue op took approximately one hour to complete before the injured man was transported to a local hospital for further care. The swift response and diligent efforts of the fire crews underscore the dangers inherent to construction sites, even as a day's labor draws to a close. "It took about an hour to get the man out of the ditch," confirmed fire officials in a statement to KSAT, detailing the incident's resolution. The man's condition following the rescue remains under assessment.
