OXFORD, MICH. (WWJ) Dozens of first responders rescued a 50-year-old man from a trench collapse at a construction site in Oxford Township, fire officials said.
Oxford fire officials told WWJ the trench collapsed in the Brab Dewey Subdivision, in the area of Lapeer and Oxford roads, on Tuesday, September 1, around 3 p.m.
The worker fell in while walking parallel to the trench during a sewer installation, according to Oxford fire officials.
"He basically slid into the trench next to the trench box, which probably helped save his life, because it kept him from getting crushed further, no other movement of soil," Fire Chief Matt Majestic said.
First responders communicated with the Swartz Creek man as they worked to free him. A cubic yard of the surrounding soil weighed over a ton, making the rescue particularly challenging.
"He was in really good spirits, all things considered," Majestic said.
Majestic said they are investigating the collapse as a "workplace injury." The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration arrived at the scene within about 20 minutes of the collapse.
According to him, 75 to 100 first responders helped free the man by approximately 8:05 p.m. He climbed up the ladder and walked out on his own. He's undergoing evaluation at the hospital.
