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By Rita L. Reith

Teamwork and sheer willpower prevented a harrowing moment from resulting in injury for two workers repairing a sewer pipe on Tibbs Ave. in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Workers from Mr. Plumber told firefighters that they had been on scene since 8:30 a.m. and were working on the sewer.  One man was in the hole and the other up top. Shortly before 1:30 pm the man up top, Albert Illg, 29, told his co-worker to leave the hole, that imminent collapse was possible. Within seconds, the sandy bedding had collapsed sending the upper portion of the ground on top of the man in the hole.

According to Illg, the man was buried over his head with his ball cap the only visible sign of his location. Illg jumped in the hole and started digging. The commotion grabbed the attention of a nearby Citizen’s Energy worker, who called 911 and came to help. Within seconds, he too jumped in the hole to help dig. By the time the first fire apparatus was on scene, the man had been uncovered to his mid-chest. He was alert, oriented and talking, but frantic to extricate himself from the hole.

As firefighters prepared for entry into the hole, the man continued to dig. Fire Paramedics on scene maintained contact with the man, who was responsive but not willing to slow his pace. Upon shoring completion, entry into the hole was made by Indianapolis Fire Department.  It was at that time the man began to get his legs uncovered and pull them out, one by one.  He was successful in extricating himself by 2:00 p.m. and was assisted up the ladder by firefighters and transported to Eskenazi to be checked out.

RITA L. REITH is a battalion chief with the Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department and serves as the agency’s public information officer

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