Video: Trench Collapse Rescue 02.27.21

Trench Collapse Rescue – Riverton

Nothing short of a miracle occurred Saturday for a construction worker who had found himself at the bottom of a collapsed trench, covered chest high by dirt and rock.

At 12:40 PM, our Riverton firefighters were dispatched to a trench collapse on a nearby construction site. Understanding the severity and difficulty of the rescue at hand, our Incident Commander immediately called for additional resources, amounting to nearly 50 people on scene.

Resources included Unified Fire Authority Heavy Rescue companies (specializing in trench rescue), Intermountain Life Flight, and multiple vacuum excavation trucks.

In the middle of a blizzard and after working together for nearly two and a half hours, we were able to clear a path for our patient, freeing him from the entrapment…The best part- INJURY FREE!

An average of 35 workers die every year in trenching or excavation cave-ins, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Dirt may not seem particularly dangerous to workers, but NIOSH notes that a single cubic yard of dirt can weigh more than 3,000 pounds, and a trench can collapse without any warning signs.

Saturday’s outcome was simply amazing due to the combined efforts of many talented people. We would like to share our deepest gratitude to Riverton City for quickly providing us with the City’s vacuum excavator and to Badger Daylighting Corp for your quick and steady work. Though unconventional, these vacuums were critical in improving the situation for our patient. You truly saved the day!

We’d also like to express our thanks to Intermountain Life Flight for staging your team and helicopter on scene, even with unfavorable flying conditions. We appreciate you.