Cedar Rapids firefighters rescue man from collapsed trench

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids firefighters rescued a man from a trench that collapsed while he was repairing utility lines to a local business Tuesday morning. This was the first time the Cedar Rapids Fire Department has performed this kind of rescue, according to a news release from the department.

The fire department was called to the 600 block of First Avenue SW at 9:39 a.m. Tuesday. The private utility contractor was trapped from the waist down in a collapsed work space, the release states.

Rescue teams with specialized training used shoring tools to remove the man from the hole, which was between eight and 10 feet deep, while also preventing further collapse. The man was conscious and able to communicate with crews while they worked.

After he was rescued, the man was sent to a hospital with “unknown injuries to his lower extremities,” according to the release.

After the firefighters cleared the site and removed their equipment, Cedar Rapids sewer employees were dispatched and used digging equipment to remove soil from the edge of the trench, to prevent further collapse.

The Linn Area Ambulance and Cedar Rapids Police Department also assisted on scene.

Cedar Rapids rescue teams have trained annually on this type of rescue scenario since 1996, but this is the first situation within the city of Cedar Rapids that has required this specialized response, according to the release.

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