Dallas Fire-Rescue Press Release

Contact: Lt. Doug Dickerson, PIO Date: August 29, 2001

Office: 214-670-7949

Pager : 214-670-4115, pin # 9885 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cave-in Traps Three Construction Workers

Date of Incident: August 29,2001

Location: Thomas Avenue and Boll Street

Just north of Downtown near McKinney and Woodall Rodgers

Response: Technical Rescue Team, 9 Fire Engines, 3 Ladder Trucks,

3 Rescue Units, various chief officers and support personnel.

Approximately 50 rescue workers on the scene.

Times: First call dispatched at 5:12 p.m.

Injuries: 3 Hispanic males, ages 28, 32 and 33 were transported to Baylor University Medical Center. All are listed in stable condition at this time.

Details: Workers with a private company contracting for the City of Dallas to lay sewer lines were trapped when the hole they were working in collapsed around them. The hole was 10-12 feet deep and about 10 feet wide. All three workers were pinned beneath the dirt from their waist down, making it impossible for them to get out. The victims were all conscious and able to communicate with rescuers as efforts got underway to free them. Dallas Fire’s Technical Rescue Team (TRT) was among the many firefighters on the scene working to free the trapped victims. TRT consists of firefighters with specialized training and equipment for this type of trench rescue. The primary concern as this rescue mission got underway was for the safety of firefighters who were entering the hole to free the victims. Great efforts were made to prevent further collapse of the hole, as that could have further injured the victims or trapped the firefighters. TRT brought in shoring equipment that was built up on either side of the trench and secured with hydraulic powered arms between them to hold pressure against the walls. Firefighters used shovels to move piled up dirt from the street level, attempting to decrease the weight over the trench, as it was too risky to use heavy equipment. This was a labor-intensive rescue effort as firefighters entering the hole were using shovels and their bare hands to remove dirt from around the victims. It took an hour to finally free and remove all 3 victims, who were transported to Baylor Hospital for further evaluation.