31 workers trapped after LA tunnel collapse rescued in 1hr
What's the story
Firefighters successfully rescued 31 people who were trapped when a tunnel collapsed in Los Angeles' Wilmington area on Wednesday night around 8:00pm (local time). The incident took place at the Los Angeles Effluent Outfall Tunnel, part of a $630.5 million Clearwater Project by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District. Fortunately, all workers were rescued within an hour, and no injuries were reported.
Emergency response
Fire department's swift response
More than 100 LAFD personnel responded to the scene, including members of the Urban Search and Rescue team, who had been properly trained and prepared to conduct tight space tunnel rescues. Some workers who were separated inside the tunnel had to climb over a 12- to 15-foot pile of loose soil to reach their colleagues on the other side. Around 9:20pm, all 31 personnel were safely extracted and accounted for.
Project details
Clearwater project aims to modernize wastewater management
The tunnel is a key component of the Clearwater Project, which aims to modernize aging wastewater management tunnels built in 1937 and 1958. The new tunnel will be seven miles long, 18 feet wide, and built 450 feet underground. According to documents from July 2024, tunneling work was expected to be completed by April 2025. The entire project is scheduled for completion by 2027, with plans to activate the new tunnel by January 2028.