Worker Rescued After Trench Collapse in Queens

Firefighters rescued a construction worker who became trapped when soil collapsed around him at a trench along 47th Street in Queens on November 2. The emergency call came in at about 4:21 p.m. The trench was beside a five-story residential building, and fallen soil covered the worker to waist level, according to the FDNY.

The rescue involved 162 FDNY personnel, including members of 28 fire units and 11 EMS units. Firefighters reinforced the excavation with a pair of trench braces, then used a system of ropes and a 24-foot ladder to lift the worker out.

A Con Edison vacuum truck helped remove dirt and debris from around him during the operation, FDNY Battalion Chief Ryan Traina said. EMS and rescue paramedics assessed and treated the worker at the scene after he was freed.

He was transported to Elmhurst Hospital, where his status was listed as moderate, despite only minor injuries, for additional checks. His condition had not been established at the time he was taken to a hospital.