A man in his 20s was taken to a hospital after being trapped in a collapsed trench Tuesday at a property in Cedar Hills.

The events happened around 1:15 p.m. at a construction site where sewer lateral work was being done, according to a press release.

Officials with American Fork Fire & Rescue along with several other agencies from Lehi, Provo and Pleasant Grove as well as the Utah Valley Metro Special Response Team worked to get the man out.

Officials say the man, described as a a private contractor, was buried up to his chin in the approximately 10-foot-deep trench, but he remained conscious throughout the rescue.

Crews had use a combination of techniques to bring the worker to safety, first setting up what’s called a trench shore then using a vacuum truck to move the dirt and debris from the hole.

Three other workers at the site tried to rescue him prior to first responders arriving.

Tuesday’s incident comes as Utah County special response teams have been preparing for rescue efforts just like this through recent training.

Some of that training includes trench rescues, structure collapses and rope rescues. A spokesperson for American Fork Fire & Rescue said Tuesday’s rescue is a culmination of each scenario crews have been training for.

Responders say they took into consideration safety measures for their crews handling the rescue as well as trauma the victim faced such as difficulty breathing due to being trapped under heavy dirt and the impact of being crushed by concrete.

Officials did not say how long the man was trapped for. Once he was extricated, he was flown to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is assisting with the investigation to determine the cause of the trench collapse.

Newsletter