TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A man trapped and partially buried in a trench survived because a collection of agencies and a local business pulled together in a grueling four hour rescue Friday.
Three days after the collapse on Midvale Park, north of Valencia, we saw more shoring being prepped for installation. The strong steel plates line the walls of a trench to protect workers from a trench collapse.
Tucson Fire says there was shoring in the trench but a worker was just outside the protected area when the trench closed in on him.
Tucson Fire, Northwest Fire, Drexel Heights and Santa Rita Fire rushed to help but Assistant Tucson Fire Chief Barrett Baker says at the trench they had to move slowly to not trigger a new collapse.
The ground was so unstable the trench walls still crumbled again and again.
Baker says, “It's very challenging emotionally, because you had hope, you felt like you were making progress, and now you're back to square one.”
Doctor Robert French , a doctor trained in emergency medicine, put on a rope and other safety gear to go down into the trench to treat the man while he was still trapped. The doctor and Fire Department medics went down again and again while others worked to move the dirt aside.
Northwest Construction was not involved in the construction project but when Tucson Fire called, the company brought in at no charge, three trucks able to vacuum up the dirt that trapped the man.
Glenn Burchan knew a man just died in a trench collapse near Phoenix. He knew his crews and his trucks had a chance to help save the man here.
KGUN reporter Craig Smith asked: “What was it like when you saw him come out of that trench and be on his way to treatment?
Glenn: “It was awesome. Soon as they started the helicopter it was amazing, and it’s like, all right, we’ve got a win today.”
Barrett Baker says Tucson Fire trains with other departments for situations like this one.
But when someone’s trapped in real life, firefighters come in close personal contact with someone whose life depends on what they do next.
“It's something that's hard to describe when it comes to that emotional bond between a rescuer and someone being rescued.”
——-
Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
