A construction worker was rescued from an 8-foot-deep trench in Los Feliz on Thursday, September 5, after being trapped for nearly six hours. The incident occurred amid extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 106 degrees. The worker was taken to a trauma center in serious condition, and two rescuers were treated for heat exhaustion, one of whom was hospitalized.
The man became trapped while working on a residential renovation when the surrounding dirt collapsed, burying him up to his chest. Firefighters responded to the scene shortly before 11 a.m. and worked meticulously to free him, using specialized tools to prevent further collapse. Over 80 firefighters, along with medical personnel, were involved in the operation.
The rescue was a slow and delicate process due to concerns about the trench’s stability and the extreme heat. The worker remained conscious throughout and was eventually freed using a pulley system. The intense heat wave in Southern California is expected to continue through the weekend.
