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Worker injured when trench collapses
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More from Local NewsA construction worker was rescued Thursday in El Rio after a trench he was working in collapsed and buried him up to his waist, authorities said.
The man was working on a sewer project in the 600 block of Orange Drive when the trench collapsed at 10:30 a.m. and buried the lower half of his body, according to a statement from the Ventura County Fire Department.
Fellow workers used shovels to dig him out but could not remove him because of a back injury he suffered in the collapse, fire officials said.
When rescue crews arrived, the man was sitting at the bottom of the trench. Firefighters placed him on a backboard and carried him out at 10:42 a.m., authorities said.
The vacated trench collapsed again a short time later but caused no further harm.
The man was taken by ambulance to a local hospital with minor to moderate injuries, fire officials said.
Fire officials and Ventura County Public Works personnel remained at the site to monitor the trench.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials will investigate the incident, authorities said.
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