Man Removed From Trench Collapse in Westfield Reportedly Stable

The man trapped in a collapsed 4-by-8-foot trench Saturday afternoon has been taken to University Hospital in Newark and is reportedly stable, according to Elizabeth Fire Chief Thomas McNamara.

McNamara said the man's name would not be released at this time. The man is a private contractor and was working on what appears to be plumbing issues on Knollwood Terrace, McNamara said.

The Elizabeth Fire Department was one of several agencies that responded to the scene. Elizabeth sent four rescue teams as its department is the technical rescue crew for Union County.

"It appears he was doing some kind of plumbing," McNamara said. "The trench he was digging collapsed around him."

A trench collapse is not a common call for firefighters, McNamara said, but it is a scene that is manpower and equipment intensive. McNamara said about 100 people responded to the scene, including firefighters, police officers and EMS crews.

A jackhammer was brought by the Westfield Public Works department in case it was needed but McNamara said much of the removal was completed with equipment from the Elizabeth Fire Department.

Particularly, a "dirt vac" and an "air knife" were tools the firefighters used to dig faster and suck up all the dirt to then remove the trapped man more easily and see where they were working.

The man was trapped up to his waist, McNamara said.

"Everyone worked really well, McNamara said. "We took him out on a backboard."

The man was alert and conscious when he was removed, McNamara said.

In addition to Elizabeth and Westfield Fire Departments, departments from Scotch Plains, Cranford, Fanwood, Newark, Jersey City and Bayonne responded. The state and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were notified.

Firefighters were waiting for OSHA to arrive around 4:30 p.m. Saturday. OSHA will investigate the incident.

McNamara said contractors must abide by certain regulations when it comes to digging a trench. He declined to comment on whether all those regulations were followed in this instance.