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Man Rescued From Fairfield County Trench Collapse By Rescuers Who Dug By Hand At Times

A worker is in serious condition after being buried up to his neck in a trench collapse that had rescuers digging by hand at times to save the man.

The rescuers dug the trapped worker out of the trench.

The rescuers dug the trapped worker out of the trench.

Photo Credit: Stony Hill Fire Department

The incident took place in Northern Fairfield County around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11 in Bethel on Budd Drive in the Stony Hill district.

Stony Hill firefighters arrived on the scene and found a man buried up to his chin in a 13-15 foot trench that had collapsed, said Assistant Chief Patrick Magyar, of the Stony Hill Fire Department.

The man was conscious and talking when rescuers arrived on the scene, Magyar said. 

Once additional help arrived from Danbury, firefighters from Bethel, Stony Hill, and Danbury began to shore up the trench and then began digging by hand at times to free the trapped man, he added.

The Danbury Public Works Department sent a vacuum truck to help remove the dirt.

Paramedics on the scene and doctors at Danbury Hospital made the decision that once freed, the man would need to be flown by helicopter to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment, Magyar said.

After two-and-half hours of digging, the man was freed from the trench around 3:55 p.m. and transported by Stony Hill EMS to the awaiting helicopter, he added.

The name and the age of the victim have not been released, as well as his medical condition. 

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