Rescue workers free individual trapped in trench

By CNN Newsource

Published April 21, 2021 4:14 am

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — After several hours of digging, rescue workers have successfully freed an individual trapped in a trench in Asheville.

The worker has since been taken to the hospital since being freed.

The Asheville Fire Department was on the scene of a trench rescue off Osprey Trail that had one person trapped Tuesday afternoon.

Kelley Klope, the public information officer with the Asheville Fire Department, told News 13 a collapse had the individual trapped from the waist down.

The original call came in at around 2 p.m. When responding crews arrived they found the subject trapped from the chest down. Coworkers and emergency responders immediately started digging to help relieve the pressure on the individual’s chest.

“The collapse of the wall just came right down on top of him and buried the subject from the chest down,” said Klope.

Rescue workers said the patient was stable, alert and oriented at the time of their arrival.

Additionally, crews with NC Urban Search and Rescue and Task Force-2 were on the scene to help with additional rescue equipment.

“When we have a trench rescue, our biggest concern is to relieve the pressure from the body. Any type of compressed issues. So, as you can see behind me, we have a lot of resources in the area that we had to call in that is designed specifically for, whether it’s a small trench or a large trench,” said Klope.

The name of the individual is not being released at this time.

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