A large wastewater tunnel in Los Angeles collapsed during a construction project on Wednesday night, leading to the dramatic rescue of 31 workers trapped underground.
All 31 laborers escaped without serious injuries. They were working near the section of the tunnel that caved in but narrowly avoided the collapse.
The tunnel had only one way in and one way out, and the workers were about 400 feet underground when a section collapsed, according to Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts spokesman Michael Chee.
On Wednesday night, work was being done about 6 miles from the entrance, and the tunnel collapsed about 5 miles from the opening, officials said. Workers had to climb over 12-15 feet of dirt and debris to reach a boring machine, which was used to transport them back to the exit.
“They had to make themselves out through and then rescuers actually came to them to assist them out,” Los Angeles fire chief Ronnie Villanueva said.
KABC/ABC7 Los Angeles via AP
People are lifted in a basket after a tunnel collapsed on Wednesday in Los Angeles. (KABC/ABC7 Los Angeles via AP)
The cause of the cave-in was not immediately clear, and the county sanitation department will investigate the issue. The construction crew was working on a tunnel that will eventually carry treated wastewater from across Los Angeles County for 7 miles out to the Pacific Ocean. The initial estimated cost was $700 million.
“This is a highly technical, difficult project. And they knew exactly what to do,” L.A. City Councilmember Tim McOsker said. “Thank goodness for the good people that were down in the tunnel.”
With News Wire Services
