500-pound man battles for his life after falling into 15ft hole

A man weighing roughly 500 pounds was fighting for his life after falling into a deep hole at a construction site in Pomona, California.

The 40-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, dropped about 15 feet into a narrow opening measuring around four feet in diameter shortly after 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Authorities said he was not employed at the construction site, and officials have not determined why he was there or how the fall occurred.

Emergency crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department launched a large-scale rescue effort that required about 40 firefighters. Specialized urban search and rescue personnel were called in to carry out a trench rescue operation that lasted roughly two hours.

Rescuers eventually secured the man using a harness attached to a hoist system connected to a tow truck equipped with a crane. He was lifted out of the hole by his arms. Footage from the scene showed the man being slowly raised while rescue crews guided him to safety. Reports indicated he remained conscious and was communicating with rescuers during the operation.

Keith Navarre, a public information officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said the rescue required extensive resources. A helicopter was also used to transport a hospital emergency response team to the scene so medical personnel could provide immediate care if necessary.

Navarre noted that rescues involving confined spaces are particularly challenging, which contributed to the complexity of the operation.

After being pulled from the hole, the man was transported under advanced life support to Pomona Valley Medical Center. Authorities have not released an update on his current condition.

Original Source

About Post Author

Detroit City Limits

See author's posts