Crews Rescue Man Trapped In Philadelphia Sewer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- At about 6:00 p.m. the Philadelphia Fire Department began a search and rescue mission at 9th and Pike Streets in Hunting Park after a man was found trapped in an 18 inch sewer pipe.
"At some point he got down into the sewer inlet," said Philadelphia Police. The investigation into how the man ended up in the sewer inlet came second to the desperate attempt at saving his life.
PGW crews were on the scene with maps of their underground system assisting in the search, but after more than an hour and a half, on a hot day, neighbors watching grew more and more concerned.
An outburst of applause came, after the man who was trapped 10 feet underground, lodged in an 18 inch pipe was finally pulled to safety, alive. Eyewitness News got a glimpse of crews hustling him into a stretcher and rushing him to the hospital.
"We seen them running to different holes to see if they can find him. They found him alive," said one on-looking neighbor.
Fire commissioner Adam Thiel says the rescue put fire fighters to the test but they were up to the challenge.
"They're dealing with an environment that's filled with sewage and water. It's a very difficult environment as you could imagine. Very dark, so they have to deploy all these specialized techniques and specialized equipment," said Thiel.
The man was brought out of a manhole several feet from where he went in. Despite a successful operation, humble fire officials want no praise.
Officials say the man is about 50-years-old, but his identity has not yet been released. He was taken to Temple University Hospital for treatment.
Authorities are investigating the incident as an accident.
KYW's Mike Dougherty contributed to this report.
