Worker was 'model patient' during trench rescue

Despite being trapped up to his chest in asphalt for more than two hours, the construction worker caught in a collapsed trench in West Seattle was a "model patient" during his rescue Wednesday afternoon, said Lt. Dave Powell of the Seattle Fire Department.

The man suffered no apparent injuries from the collapse, but was taken to Harborview Medical Center to check for internal bleeding.

"He went through a lot of different emotions, but for the most part he was calm and handled it really well," Powell said. "I think he just wanted to get out, and so that was the gist of most of his conversation."

The man, whose name and employer have not been released by the Fire Department, was replacing sewer lines 8 feet below ground in a parking lot at 2944 S.W. Avalon Way when portions of the unsupported trench walls collapsed on him, Powell said.

"There was no shoring in place, and that was the number one problem," Powell said.

Both sides of Southwest Avalon Way and the Harbor Avenue exit on the West Seattle Bridge were closed during the rescue, which began soon after 3:40 p.m. and lasted until 6 p.m. Firefighters worked to secure the walls of the trench, while two trucks from Seattle Public Utilities were brought in to vacuum out the dirt covering the man.

Rescuers had to work slowly to prevent further cave-ins, which happen 50 percent of the time after an initial trench collapse, Powell said.

"Anytime you have a trench rescue, it's going to be a long, involved ... process," he said.

A natural gas line near the trench was also a concern, but firefighters were able to work around it, Powell said.

During the rescue, the man was given painkillers and fluids through an IV. After his removal, he was carried away on a stretcher but was alert and moving.

"I don't think anything could have went any smoother," Powell said. "It was a really smooth operation from start to finish."