Latest news with #tunnelcollapse
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘We feared the worst': 31 construction workers rescued after LA tunnel collapse
Thirty-one construction workers inside a huge industrial tunnel in Los Angeles made it to safety after a portion of it collapsed Wednesday evening, an outcome officials called a blessing after they initially feared much worse. The cave-in appears to have occurred between the tunnel boring machine 5 miles (8km) in from the sole entrance and the construction workers who were working 6 miles in, said Michael Chee, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, which is in charge of the nearly $700m project. The workers were about 400ft (121 meters) underground. Authorities were still investigating the cause, Chee said. The workers scrambled over loose soil more than 12ft high to reach the tunnel boring machine and then were transported back to the opening. Aerial footage showed workers being brought out of the tunnel in a yellow cage hoisted up by a crane. None of those rescued had major injuries, authorities said. Arally Orozco said she was at church when her phone started buzzing with calls and then her son texted her the news of the tunnel where her three brothers worked. 'It was sad and scary,' she said in Spanish. 'We feared the worst.' After an hour, she managed to get through to one brother who told her they had to squeeze through a tight space to get out. 'My brother was crying,' she said. 'He told me he thought he was going to die underground.' LA city council member Tim McOsker praised the workers for keeping cool heads. 'This is a highly technical, difficult project. And they knew exactly what to do. They knew how to secure themselves,' he said. 'Thank goodness for the good people that were down in the tunnel.' The mayor, Karen Bass, said at a news conference that she met with some of the workers. 'I know when we raced down here I was so concerned that we were going to find tragedy. Instead, what we found was victory,' Bass said. 'All of the men that were in that tunnel, rescued, up, safe.' The tunnel is being constructed almost entirely underneath public right-of-way. The structure is 18ft wide and will be 7 miles long to carry treated wastewater from across Los Angeles county to the Pacific Ocean. Work will not resume until the project contractor assesses what happened and deems the site safe, authorities said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
31 workers rescued after partial tunnel collapse in Los Angeles, officials say
Thirty-one people working in a massive underground tunnel in Los Angeles were rescued Wednesday night after a portion of the structure collapsed, officials said. Those rescued didn't have any visible injuries, the LAFD said in a statement, shortly after an operation that saw several of those trapped in the industrial tunnel hoisted up to safety by crane. More than 100 Los Angeles Fire Department responders raced to the scene in the city's Wilmington neighborhood to assist in the operation, including Urban Search and Rescue teams, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on X. The collapse occurred approximately five to six miles from the sole entry and exit point of the tunnel and about 400 feet below ground, officials said. The tunnel is part of a municipal wastewater project. The trapped workers managed to climb over a 12- to 15-foot-high pile of loose soil to reach coworkers on the other side, preliminary reports indicate. From there, they were transported by tunnel vehicle to the access point, the fire department said. Firefighters used cranes and rescue cages to hoist several workers out, according to video from CNN affiliate KCBS/KCAL. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass met with the rescued workers and emergency responders on the scene, according to a video posted to her X account. 'Thank you again to all our first responders working to get Angelenos to safety,' Bass said. The failure occurred when workers were operating the tunnel boring machine and a section they had already built collapsed due to 'squeezing ground,' Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, said at a news conference late Wednesday. Squeezing ground occurs when the ground or soil deforms significantly during an excavation. Work on the site will be stopped and inspected, Ferrante added, but he did not elaborate on how long it will take. Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Janice Hahn said the incident serves as a reminder of the risks involved in these projects and that the sanitation districts would 'look into' what caused the incident. CNN's Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘We feared the worst': 31 construction workers rescued after LA tunnel collapse
Thirty-one construction workers inside a huge industrial tunnel in Los Angeles made it to safety after a portion of it collapsed Wednesday evening, an outcome officials called a blessing after they initially feared much worse. The cave-in appears to have occurred between the tunnel boring machine 5 miles (8km) in from the sole entrance and the construction workers who were working 6 miles in, said Michael Chee, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, which is in charge of the nearly $700m project. The workers were about 400ft (121 meters) underground. Authorities were still investigating the cause, Chee said. The workers scrambled over loose soil more than 12ft high to reach the tunnel boring machine and then were transported back to the opening. Aerial footage showed workers being brought out of the tunnel in a yellow cage hoisted up by a crane. None of those rescued had major injuries, authorities said. Arally Orozco said she was at church when her phone started buzzing with calls and then her son texted her the news of the tunnel where her three brothers worked. 'It was sad and scary,' she said in Spanish. 'We feared the worst.' After an hour, she managed to get through to one brother who told her they had to squeeze through a tight space to get out. 'My brother was crying,' she said. 'He told me he thought he was going to die underground.' LA city council member Tim McOsker praised the workers for keeping cool heads. 'This is a highly technical, difficult project. And they knew exactly what to do. They knew how to secure themselves,' he said. 'Thank goodness for the good people that were down in the tunnel.' The mayor, Karen Bass, said at a news conference that she met with some of the workers. 'I know when we raced down here I was so concerned that we were going to find tragedy. Instead, what we found was victory,' Bass said. 'All of the men that were in that tunnel, rescued, up, safe.' The tunnel is being constructed almost entirely underneath public right-of-way. The structure is 18ft wide and will be 7 miles long to carry treated wastewater from across Los Angeles county to the Pacific Ocean. Work will not resume until the project contractor assesses what happened and deems the site safe, authorities said.
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
31 workers rescued after partial tunnel collapse in Los Angeles, officials say
Thirty-one people working in a massive underground tunnel in Los Angeles were rescued Wednesday night after a portion of the structure collapsed, officials said. Those rescued didn't have any visible injuries, the LAFD said in a statement, shortly after an operation that saw several of those trapped in the industrial tunnel hoisted up to safety by crane. More than 100 Los Angeles Fire Department responders raced to the scene in the city's Wilmington neighborhood to assist in the operation, including Urban Search and Rescue teams, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on X. The collapse occurred approximately five to six miles from the sole entry and exit point of the tunnel and about 400 feet below ground, officials said. The tunnel is part of a municipal wastewater project. The trapped workers managed to climb over a 12- to 15-foot-high pile of loose soil to reach coworkers on the other side, preliminary reports indicate. From there, they were transported by tunnel vehicle to the access point, the fire department said. Firefighters used cranes and rescue cages to hoist several workers out, according to video from CNN affiliate KCBS/KCAL. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass met with the rescued workers and emergency responders on the scene, according to a video posted to her X account. 'Thank you again to all our first responders working to get Angelenos to safety,' Bass said. The failure occurred when workers were operating the tunnel boring machine and a section they had already built collapsed due to 'squeezing ground,' Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, said at a news conference late Wednesday. Squeezing ground occurs when the ground or soil deforms significantly during an excavation. Work on the site will be stopped and inspected, Ferrante added, but he did not elaborate on how long it will take. Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Janice Hahn said the incident serves as a reminder of the risks involved in these projects and that the sanitation districts would 'look into' what caused the incident. CNN's Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
31 construction workers rescued from Los Angeles tunnel collapse: ‘we feared the worst'
Thirty-one construction workers inside a huge industrial tunnel in Los Angeles made it to safety after a portion of it collapsed on Wednesday evening, an outcome officials called a blessing after they initially feared much worse. The cave-in appears to have occurred between the tunnel boring machine 8km (5 miles) in from the sole entrance and the construction workers who were working 9.6km (6 miles) in, said Michael Chee, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, which is in charge of the nearly US$700 million project. The workers were about 120 metres (400 feet) underground. Authorities were still investigating the cause, Chee said. The workers scrambled over loose soil more than 3.6 metres (12 feet) high to reach the tunnel boring machine, and then were transported back to the opening. Aerial footage showed workers being brought out of the tunnel in a yellow cage hoisted up by a crane. None of those rescued had major injuries, authorities said. Arally Orozco said she was at church when her phone started buzzing with calls, and then her son texted her the news of the tunnel where her three brothers worked. 'It was sad and scary,' she said in Spanish. 'We feared the worst.'
