Trenton, New Jersey (NewYorkInjuryNews.com) — A private contractor who was working in West Orange became trapped up to his waist for 3 hours on the night of June 21st due to an abrupt storm which caused a mud slide in a trench that he had been digging. The storm took place at about 6 pm when this 56 year old man got stuck in the bottom of the 10 foot deep trench in a backyard on Old Indian Road.
The officer for public information of West Orange First Aid Squad, Deborah Herr, said that the storm came very fast and the man was not able to come out because the mud was very heavy.
The Deputy Fire Chief of West Orange, John Ryan, said that the contractor was working on the water utility pipes. Authorities have not identified the man and they have also declined to mention the name of the utility and the business of the person. The man had been working alone and the trench walls were not yet shored. The chief of West Orange rescuing squad, Dominic Allegrino, said that the man was attentive and managed to breathe by himself as the West Essex Trench Rescue Team and the West Orange rescue personnel tried to rescue him for more than 2½ hours.
The team of rescuers included a staff from West Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Roseland and Montclair and it first secured the trench walls with plywood while attempting to prevent them from fissuring. Then, with the help of 4 inch long hand shovels, 50 rescue workers managed to dig out the entrapped man. Allegrino said that the medical professionals present on the scene found out one of the man’s legs had been broken. Last night, the man was taken to the University Hospital of Newark for further evaluation.