LOS ANGELES (AP) — A total of thirty-one employees were safely evacuated from a construction tunnel in Los Angeles after a section collapsed on Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The incident took place 5 to 6 miles (approximately 8 to 9.7 kilometers) from the tunnel’s only entrance, located in an industrial area of the city. Local TV aerial footage showed workers being rescued and lifted from the tunnel’s entrance.
On the opposite side of the collapsed section, some workers climbed over a mound of loose soil, measuring about 12 to 15 feet (approximately 19.3 to 24.1 meters) in height, and reached other colleagues. They were then transported in groups by tunnel vehicles to the exit.
Paramedics were evaluating 27 of the workers removed from the tunnel.
The tunnel is under construction to eventually carry wastewater. It’s 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide, LAFD said.
More than 100 LAFD workers were assigned to the scene, including those who specialize in rescues from confined spaces.
