Worker Rescued from Hole Nine Hours After Building Collapse

A construction worker has been rescued after a nine-hour-long operation after he fell into a hole. The worker had no option but to spend nine hours trapped under rubble after a building being demolished collapsed. The incident took place in Louisville, Kentucky.

The rescue option lasted nine hours and was carefully planned to ensure the safety of both the rescuers and the trapped worker, according to a Facebook post by the Louisville Fire Department. The building collapsed leading to a worker being trapped under the dirt and rubble on November 14. At that time, a former prison was being demolished.

A post by the Louisville Fire Department on Facebook said “Within minutes, our first units arrived at the scene of an ongoing demolition project and discovered an individual who had fallen into a void space and was buried in rubble.” The department informed that “Rescue operations commenced immediately,” with crews responding on “Thursday just before noon” after receiving reports of a structural collapse. As soon as news of an entrapment was received, the rescuers were dispatched to the spot.

Rescuers had to resort to digging and removing debris with hands and using buckets to reach the man who was buried under a 12-foot-deep hole in the 300 block of East Chestnut. The trapped worker was surrounded by gravel and dirt. There were also large chunks of concrete around him. Hence, the firefighters had to dig the place with their hands.

The dirt and concrete had to be removed using the assistance of a vacuum truck. Following a nine-hour rescue operation, the rescuers managed to enter the hole using a crane and ladder.

The rescue operation was described as being “meticulous and deliberate, with each movement carefully considering the safety of both the trapped individual and the rescuers,” the department said in its Facebook post.

The rescued worker who was eventually removed from the hole following a nine-hour operation was escorted to a hospital. The worker remained conscious throughout the operation. As per reports, the man is recovering at University of Louisville Hospital.

It has been learnt that the trapped worker received medical assistance during the rescue operation.

A Louisville Metro Emergency Services paramedic informed the media about how he located the trapped person on hearing his voice because he couldn’t see the worker. The paramedic inserted an IV into the man so as to ensure medicine kept flowing to him. This procedure was necessary to prevent crush syndrome. This is a skeletal muscle condition that may lead to severe shock and kidney failure. It may also lead to other severe injuries and possible death.

The crew informed that its first units had arrived at the scene within minutes following reports of an entrapment at an ongoing demolition project. The crew had discovered an individual trapped in the hole after falling into the void space. The man ended up being buried in the rubble. The crews maintained that rescue operations commenced immediately.

According to the Fire Chief, there were six workers on site to rescue the worker who fell into the “void space.”

The Fire Chief informed of the struggles the rescue team faced while trying to recover the trapped man.

“Every time you move some small bit, you have more stuff that’s falling in,” the chief said. However, he added that the man was fortunate that “he had a little bit of a void space around him,” as it allowed him to breathe.

It is worth mentioning that just last week two employees died after a factory exploded, leading to the building partially collapsing. It also led to the blowing out of windows in nearby places in Louisville. That incident is currently under investigation.

To ensure workplace safety at construction sites, it is essential to only use heavy equipment that is fully functional and in sound condition. Even if a project purchases used heavy equipment, it must be ensured that it has been well-maintained and does not pose a risk to others.

It is also essential to thoroughly evaluate all equipment under use, especially earth movers’ equipment and heavy moving machinery as any mistake in its handling could result in injuries and deaths to the workers and those around it. Therefore, it is essential that you only reach out to credible heavy equipment suppliers who sell fully functional heavy equipment without any issues.

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