Crews rescue man trapped after Brentwood trench collapse

Fire crews labored furiously for almost three hours Wednesday evening in a grueling rescue of a man who had become buried up to his neck after the side of a trench he was working on at a Brentwood home collapsed.

Dispatchers received a call at 5:30 p.m. reporting that a man became stuck in mud and dirt while digging a ten-foot-deep trench in the front yard a home located at 1594 Dawnview Drive. The man was initially trapped under dirt from his neck down with only his head exposed, according to Contra Costa Fire Chief Hugh Henderson.

As of 6:45 p.m., emergency responders had succeeded in clearing enough dirt that the man was stuck from just his waist on down. However, he was still being given oxygen as the rescue attempt continued.

The man was conscious and aware throughout the rescue.

Firefighters shored up the sides of the trench during the rescue effort, even getting wood from a neighboring house. They said it was tedious work, with firefighters slow and methodically removing the dirt in order to prevent more from caving in.

The man was finally freed just before 8:30 p.m. when crews were able to hoist him out of the trench with ropes and a harness. He was immediately placed on a stretcher and put into an ambulance that took him to a waiting helicopter that transported him to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

The crowd of neighbors that had gathered throughout the ordeal erupted in cheers as the man was pulled free.

"After they got things shored, you can see they were bucketing out by hand the dirt around him. Once they were able to free the victim up, then they lifted him out," said Henderson. "He's now going to John Muir Medical Center. They’re transporting him by medical helicopter."

 Henderson said the victim had apparently been doing some work on a sewer line at the property before becoming trapped.

KTVU learned the man is 50-year-old resident of Oakland but his identity has not been released. Henderson said that the victim was in stable condition, but was complaining of pain to his legs, pelvis and chest during the rescue.

Though the circumstances of the work being done remained unclear, it appeared that Cal OSHA officials would likely be investigating the incident.

"Because at this point we haven't been able to determine if this is a contractor doing the work and this is hired work or this is friends helping friends, Cal OSHA has been notified," said Henderson. "We’ve sealed off the scene so a Cal OSHA inspector can come take a look."