A Grand Rapids man was dramatically rescued from a collapsed construction trench in Portage, Michigan yesterday, after being trapped for about five hours. The incident occurred on W. Centre Avenue, where the 37-year-old worker found himself in a dire situation as the trench walls gave way while he was installing a fiber-optic line.
According to WZZM13, the rescue call came in around 8:40 a.m. Friday, with the man finally being pulled from the rubble at approximately 1:40 p.m., Portage's Assistant Fire Chief Jed Wild coordinated the multi-agency effort including teams from Portage, Oshtemo, and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety to extricate the trapped worker, carefully navigating the complex and dangerous situation.
Fire Division Assistant Chief Jed Wild detailed the ordeal, "He was able to self-dig part of his body out, but then he got kind of stuck," as reported by WOODTV. Despite the obstacles, the worker was conscious throughout the rescue, as crews supplied him with medication and hydration while working against the clock to stabilize the trench and free him.
While eastbound Centre Avenue has since reopened, the westbound section remained closed for some time after the incident, as News Channel 3 reported, the aftermath of the collapse required continued attention. In addition to the immediate emergency response, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) is conducting a probe into what led to the trench's collapse, which could extend over weeks, or even months.
Construction work has its inherent risks, and the danger of trenching has been especially noted by MIOSHA, which pointed out that there have been 31 excavation fatalities in Michigan over the last two decades. With such events in mind, the rapid and collaborative response of the emergency crews likely played a critical role in preventing yet another tragic statistic.
