ANGELEST LOSWhen a section of a massive industrial tunnel in Los Angeles collapsed Wednesday night, 91 construction workers inside managed to escape, which officials hailed as a godsend after first fearing the worst.
According to Michael Chee, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, which is in charge of the nearly $700 million project, the cave-in appears to have happened between the construction workers working 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) in and the tunnel boring machine 5 miles (8 kilometers) in from the only entrance. About 400 feet (121 meters) below the surface, the workers were working.
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According to Chee, authorities were still looking into the cause.
To get to the tunnel boring machine, the workers clambered over loose dirt that was more than 12 feet (19.3 meters) high. After that, they were taken back to the opening. Workers were seen being lifted out of the tunnel by a crane in a yellow cage in aerial footage.
According to police, none of those who were rescued had serious injuries.
According to Arally Orozco, she was in church when her phone began ringing and her son texted her to let her know about the tunnel where her three brothers were employed.
She said in Spanish that it was frightening and depressing. The worst was what we dreaded.
An hour later, she was able to reach one brother, who informed her that they needed to squeeze through a narrow opening in order to go.
She added, “My brother was crying.” He told me that he believed he would perish underground.
Tim McOsker, a member of the LA City Council, commended the employees for remaining composed.
This project is challenging and quite technical. And they were fully aware of what to do. He claimed that they were aware of how to protect themselves. I’m grateful that there were kind folks in the tunnel.
At a press conference, Mayor Karen Bass stated that she had a meeting with a few of the employees.
I admit that I was really worried that catastrophe would be encountered when we rushed down here. Rather, we discovered triumph,” Bass remarked. “Every man who was in that tunnel was saved, up, and safe.
Nearly all of the tunnel’s construction is taking place beneath public rights-of-way. The construction would transport treated wastewater from all around Los Angeles County to the Pacific Ocean. It will be 7 miles (11.3 kilometers) long and 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide.
According to authorities, work won’t start up again until the project contractor evaluates the situation and declares the location secure.
