A construction worker trapped in a narrow trench for several hours in Toronto’s Wallace Emerson neighbourhood was rescued Friday afternoon, emergency officials say.
Police were called to the area of Lansdowne Avenue and Davenport Road shortly after 10:15 a.m. following reports that a man had been injured during a permitted excavation at 1100 Lansdowne Ave. Authorities said the worker’s legs were pinned by a slab of concrete inside a trench approximately 12 feet deep and just two feet wide.
According to Toronto paramedics operations commander Jamie Rodgers, the man remained conscious and alert while crews worked to stabilize the site before removing him. Firefighters and paramedics used specialized equipment and harnesses to reach him in the confined space, focusing on pain control and monitoring his condition throughout the more than five-hour ordeal.
The 56-year-old was transported to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Toronto Fire Division Commander Paul O’Brien described the operation as complex and highly technical. The Ontario Ministry of Labour has been notified and will investigate the circumstances.