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CEDAR HILLS — A man was critically injured Tuesday afternoon when the trench he was working in collapsed.
American Fork firefighters and Utah County search and rescue crews responded to a home near 4000 W. Cedar Hills Drive on report of a trench collapse just after 1 p.m.
First responders said a 20-year-old man was buried up to his chin. Crews had to stabilize the trench before vacuuming out the dirt to extricate the victim, a process that took about an hour and a half. More than 40 responders worked at the scene.
American Fork fire officials said he was transported by helicopter to a local hospital in critical condition, but he was conscious as they worked to rescue him.
Cedar Hills Mayor Denise Andersen said he was a private contractor working on a sewer line at an existing home. She said he dug a 10-foot trench, but before he had a chance to shore it up, it collapsed and trapped him.
The incident is under investigation to determine the cause of the trench collapse.
"It is dangerous work to try to get in there and rescue that person," American Fork Fire Battalion Chief Justin Whatcott said. "I think our victim was very lucky."
Worker Rick Jones told KSL-TV that most often in situations with a hole that deep, it turns into a recovery instead of rescue.
"They decided they needed to raise the boards to get better access to the lateral," Jones said. "When they released the jacks to raise the boards, the wall collapsed."
Jones said immediately, two men grabbed shovels and jumped in the hole to uncover their coworker down to his shoulders so they could give him as much air as possible.
