Construction Worker Rescued After Being Stuck in Excavation Hole for Over 5 Hours

City leaders praised Toronto’s local firefighters, medics and police who “demonstrated exceptional skill, professionalism & teamwork throughout”

NEED TO KNOW

• A Canadian construction worker was rescued from a trench after a concrete wall collapsed
• The victim’s name wasn’t released, but the 56-year-old was hospitalized after he suffered broken bones and other “serious” injuries
• His rescue took several hours and required the assistance of multiple emergency personnel

Emergency crews in Toronto completed a “complex” rescue after a construction worker became trapped at an excavation site. 

"It was a very complex rescue. Our crews did an amazing job," Toronto Platoon Chief Paul O'Brien said after the individual was freed, CBC and the Toronto Star reported Friday, Feb. 27.

The construction worker was not identified, but he was a 56-year-old man who suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries according to Jamie Rodgers, commander of special operations for Toronto Paramedic Services, per the Toronto Star.

Following the rescue, Toronto Fire Services Fire Chief and General Manager Jim Jessop thanked his peers for their hard work via social media. 

“Beyond proud of our HUSAR and Technical Rescue teams for the dedication and work put into this complex, highly specialized trench rescue,” he wrote on X, showing his appreciation for Toronto’s local firefighters, medics and police who “demonstrated exceptional skill, professionalism & teamwork throughout.” 

The first reports of the worker being trapped at the construction site came in at approximately 10:19 a.m., near Lansdowne Avenue and Davenport Road, Toronto Police said on social media.

According to its post, the 56-year-old became trapped after a wall collapsed. Roughly three hours later, an update was provided, stating that the man was still stuck and that the Ministry of Labour had been notified.

Police said after the rescue, the construction worker was transported to a hospital.

The individual’s legs had become pinned by a piece of concrete in a 12-foot deep, 24-inch wide trench, Toronto City News reported.

The man suffered “multi-system trauma,” Rodgers said, per the Toronto Star, adding, “We did a lot of pain management over the course of the call.”

In a statement, Alejandra Bravo, Toronto City Councillor for Davenport, said the victim’s injuries included broken limbs.

“I was on-site today to speak to the worker's family and to thank our first responders for their incredible work. My gratitude goes out to Toronto Fire's Technical Rescue team, who used their advanced knowledge and expertise to facilitate this complex rescue,” Bravo said.

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“When an emergency happens, we rely on our City's first responders to get us to safety, which is why continued investment in emergency services must remain a top priority.

I feel enormous relief and gratitude for this exemplary rescue and wish a speedy recovery to the injured worker,” her statement concluded. 

An investigation will be carried out by the Ontario Ministry of Labour.