St. Joseph fire crews rescue injured construction worker from 10-foot-deep trench

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A construction worker injured by a fall inside a 10-foot trench with heavy machinery was rescued by St. Joseph firefighters Friday morning.

The St. Joseph Fire Department reported a complex trench rescue was conducted Friday morning after one construction worker fell into a 10-foot-deep trench with a boring machine roughly the weight of a small car on top of him. The trench was located west of the Missouri Western State University practice field by Interstate 29.

Multiple fire crews from Engine 9, Engine 8, Engine 4, Quint 6, Rescue 1, Rescue 10, Ladder 5 and Battalion 33 were dispatched to the scene just before 8 a.m. to assist the worker, an unidentified 36-year-old man.

Upon arrival, fire crews noted construction workers were able to use a trackhoe to move the boring machine enough to allow the construction worker to get out from underneath it.

Fire crews quickly helped stabilize the situation and safely extracted the worker from inside the trench before getting him to an ambulance where he was reportedly transported to a Kansas City hospital. The condition of the man is unknown at this time.

"Excellent teamwork and coordination by all personnel involved during this complex rescue operation," the Fire Department posted.